A Fine Line Between Heaven and Hell
by n0b0dys-ang31
Summary: The Sequel to Of Gods and Men, beginning where the previous story left off. Ginny and Darius further their relationship, and discover that Adrian isn't that bad. But When Clautius attacks, will he show his true colors? chapter 3 is up
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I TOLD you all, there's a wait for the next chapter!!!!! Besides, I refuse to spoil your Christmas Present!!!!!!

Christmas in July, that is! Here it is, the Sequel!!! I'M BACK!!!!!!!! Lioncourt, on a side note, I LOVE YOU!!!!!! All my reviewers, I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!! You make writing the sequel easy! This one is definitely going to be a much stronger horror than humor, but hopefully it won't start for another couple chapters... expect to see Alanna's history with Clautius woven tightly into the story... gruesomeness... but it'll all make sense.... I hope.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
_Harry!  
_  
Harry awoke slowly, encased in a cloud. _Mmmmm,_ he purred softly, burrowing deeper into the heavenly softness all around him.  
  
_Harry, wake up,_ a voice called teasingly. Harry growled at the intrusion on his slumber and stretched.  
  
_Harry James Potter, let me into this house right now!_ Harry jolted awake.  
  
_ That's better. Why the hell didn't I get included in the wards?  
  
Draco?_ Harry stumbled out of bed.  
  
_I'm standing on your front door step and the bloody wards won't let me in! What the hell is going on?  
  
Oh, it's a locking charm. Apparently, my Mum sleepwalks after giving birth. She did it after she had me, too. It's weird. Anyway, it's so she can't wander outside. Two nights ago she wandered all the way into the next town over before falling asleep in the middle of the town square. We had a hell of a time explaining that one to the Muggle Authorities.  
  
That's really nice, now would you let me in? It's cold!  
  
Well that's what you get for showing up on my doorstep at-_ Harry checked the time, _bloody five in the morning!_ He Apparated to the front door. Lily lay curled up against the door jam, fast asleep. With a muffled curse, Harry released the lock and opened the heavy door.  
  
"Finally!" Draco exclaimed, stalking inside. Harry grinned at his impeccably dressed soul mate.  
  
"Shhhh!" Harry hissed, gesturing to his mother. Draco's mouth opened in an 'oh' of surprise. Harry gently picked Lily up and Apparated her into the master suite. He laid her quietly next to his father, tucked her in, kissed her forehead, and walked to the next to room to check on his brother.  
  
Gareth peered up at him with sleepy eyes as he gently picked the one month old and expertly made a bottle with a flick of his wrist. Humming softly as he fed his brother, he made his way downstairs to the waiting Draco.  
  
Draco was tapping his foot impatiently as he watched Harry carry the tiny infant down the massive, spiraling staircase. "Having fun?" he asked, smirking as Harry gently rocked Gareth back to sleep.  
  
"Surprisingly, yes," Harry said with a gentle smile. "So what brings you here with," he cocked an eyebrow at the multitudes of trunks sitting in the foyer, "all your luggage at five in the morning?" He waved his hand and banished the trunks to his room.  
  
"Well, for one, Father isn't too happy with you, Harry. I do believe he was roaring about making you promise to keep those events with the Venus Fly trap a secret." Harry grinned. "I'm serious! He was swearing up a storm every time Mother mentioned it... forty times a day."  
  
Harry let out a snort of laughter and Gareth shifted in his arms. "Shh," he soothed the waking baby. "What else happened?" Harry snickered.  
  
"Well, he was so mad that he left and went to Italy, to our summer home. Anyway, Mother wanted to go to Italy too, it's a tradition, so she left. I didn't want to be in the Manor all by myself, so I decided to come here!" Draco chirped eagerly, following Harry back up the stairs. He led Draco past his room and to the Master Suite.  
  
"Wait here while I put Gareth down," he whispered. Softly, he padded into his parent's sitting room and into the nursery. Laying Gareth down, he heard soft voices coming from the other room. _Mum? Dad?_ he called softly, not wishing to disturb anything if he could help it.  
  
_Come on in, Harry, _James called back. _I'm the only one awake.  
  
_ Harry slid into his parent's room. "What are you doing awake?" he wondered aloud.  
  
"I thought I heard Lily leave but when I woke up she was right here. Maybe she's stopped sleepwalking."  
  
"Actually, I found her and carried her back," Harry said with a twisted grin. "She was curled up next to the front door."  
  
"You think she's trying to tell us something?" James asked, grinning fondly at his sleeping wife.  
  
"I'm trying to tell you that if you don't stop this infernal racket, I'll walk my cute, asleep self outside and back down that road and let you explain to the Muggle police why I'm curled up in the middle of the road wearing nothing more than my underwear," Lily growled, her eyes still closed.  
  
Harry laughed quietly. "I have to get back to Draco. See you in a couple hours."  
  
"And what is Draco doing here?" Lily asked a bit sharply. "I saw the trunks."  
  
"Apparently, he's staying here until his parents come back from Italy. He just showed up on the doorstep fifteen minutes ago. Oh, and Gareth has been fed so go back to sleep for a few hours," Harry said with a melodramatic sigh.  
  
James snickered. "Well, don't do anything stupid," he warned.  
  
"No dear, we leave the stupidity to you," Lily said with a smirk.  
  
"Right, I'm- HEY!" James yelled mock angrily. Pouting, he crossed his arms.  
  
Harry beat a hasty retreat to find Draco. _It's time to get him shagged- I mean, settled in,_ Harry thought with a smirk.  
  
He found Draco standing outside the door, grinning. _Shagged? Is that a promise?  
_  
Harry grinned and led him down the hall, pausing every few feet to remove an article of Draco's clothing or kiss him senseless... or both. Draco was returning the favor every chance he got. They barely made it into Harry's room before completely losing it and Apparating into bed.  
  
  
  
Two hours later, Lily and James stared at the hallway with wide eyes. It looked as if there had been a battle in a textile factory. Buttons, zippers, and pieces of torn clothing littered the floor, statues and even a slow burning oil lamp. They followed the path of clothing pieces right to Harry's door and stared at the door with extreme amusement. "Do we dare go in there?" James asked with a smirk.  
  
Lily started to chuckle and James joined her. Within seconds, they were sitting on the floor rolling with laughter. "You do realize that we have to do something about this," Lily gasped through unceasing giggles.  
  
"Yes, but what? I remember doing something very similar when we were first bonded..." James laughed helplessly. "It's not like we can punish them, anyway. Draco is seventeen and Harry will be in two months time."  
  
"But they have to be a bit more discrete," Lily snickered.  
  
"What if someone else had seen this?" James asked, tears of laughter falling down his face as he gestured to the material strewn hall.  
  
  
  
Harry paused in his mapping of Draco's skin. "Oh, shit," he muttered.  
  
"Wha... Harry don't you dare stop!" Draco hissed; his eyes springing open as Harry's lips left his chest.  
  
Harry stared at the door, certain he had put silencing wards up. "What the hell?" he muttered. "Do you hear that?"  
  
Draco scowled and then cocked his head. "It sounds like laughing. Who's out there? I thought- oh shit, our clothes!"  
  
Harry started laughing so hard he fell off the bed. "Whoops! You think they found my pant leg on the lamp?"  
  
Draco started chuckling and waved his hand. "There, that's better. Now, where were we?" he asked, tackling Harry and dragging him back up onto the mattress. Harry gladly returned to what they had been doing.  
  
  
  
Lily and James watched, fascinated, as the articles of clothing mended themselves and disappeared.  
  
"Well, that was odd," James said; staring at the space the clothing had just occupied.  
  
He stood up and helped Lily to her feet. "Well, I guess I should see Sally about breakfast," Lily said with a grin. "I'm so hungry!" Lily and James walked off, in search of the head House Elf with almost maniacal glee.  
  
They found the tiny elf in the Kitchen. "Sally, would you be a doll and whip up some pancakes?" Lily pleaded; pouting in what James felt was absolutely adorable.  
  
"Maybe some eggs and sausages too," James mused.  
  
"Oh, yes, Lord Potter, Lady Potter, I would only be too happy to make breakfast!" Sally squeaked and dashed off.  
  
  
  
Harry and Draco emerged almost an hour later to the delicious smell of breakfast permeating the air. "Mmmm, smells like sausage and pancakes," Harry groaned. "I think Mum is trying to fatten me up."  
  
"God knows you need it," Draco snickered. Playfully, he pinched Harry's side. "See, not an ounce of fat anywhere!"  
  
"Oh shut up." Harry pulled on a pair of black drawstring pants and a tee shirt, Draco doing the same. They stumbled out of Harry's and now Draco's room and Apparated into the dining room and scrambled into two of the eighteen seats around the table.  
  
Lily and James sat at one end with Gareth in between them, grinning at the two teens. "Did you two have fun?" Lily asked, her eyes sparkling.  
  
"Oh yes," Harry smiled happily at his parents.  
  
James started to laugh while Lily picked Gareth up and held him. "Thank you for bringing me back to my bed, Harry."  
  
"Sure, no problem. I was up anyway," Harry said, mock glaring at Draco who was staring at the ceiling with an innocent expression on his face and whistling.  
  
Lily grinned and was about to start laughing when the Floo roared to life in the next room. "Lady Potter?" Narcissa called. "Oh, drat it all, Lucius go away! Lily! I need to speak with you!"  
  
Lily stood up and walked into the other room, followed by very curious James, Harry and Draco. "Oh, there you are, Lily .Oh, and you have my darling son with you! I was wondering how long he'd wait before showing up on your doorstep," Narcissa smiled, her head sticking out of the fire.  
  
"Try five in the morning," Harry muttered sourly, mock glaring at Draco.  
  
"What?" Draco protested. "I wanted to see you!"  
  
Narcissa stared at Draco with amusement. "You actually woke at five in the morning? Harry you're a wonderful influence! He NEVER gets up that early!"  
  
Harry rolled his eyes. "Apparently, neither do I," he said with a smirk.  
  
Narcissa shook her finger at Draco. "You know better than that. I do apologize, Lily and James. I did teach him better than to wake people up at an ungodly hour of the morning."  
  
Draco pouted, crossing his arms. "Mother..." he whined.  
  
"Don't you Mother me, young man. Apologize."  
  
"Mother..."  
  
"Now, Draconis."  
  
Draco rolled his eyes. "Sorry, Harry. I didn't mean to wake you at such an ungodly hour."  
  
_You know you did, and if we hadn't put up the wards you would have woken me another way, like jumping on my bed. _Harry smirked at his rapidly blushing soul mate.  
  
_No, I would have licked and kissed you awake, at least, that was the plan,_ Draco grinned as Harry turned bright red.  
  
"Now, Draco, Harry, someone is going to apologize to you two. It seems my husband has made some comments I feel need to be reconciled. Lucius!" She disappeared briefly, her voice growing quiet as she ran out of the room, looking for her husband. "Lucius, get back here! Lucius Malfoy, get back here or you're sleeping on the couch!!"  
  
"Yeah right," Draco muttered. "Like THAT will ever happen."  
  
Lily and James had a coughing fit as they heard Lucius yelling through the Floo.  
  
"Unhand me, woman! I have nothing to apologize for! He broke his promise to me, HE should be apologizing! Ouch! You Harpy! Oh no, don't you DARE! Watch where you put your claws! Ouch, Harpy! Get off of me!"  
  
"Lucius, get your head in that fireplace and apologize unless you want me to grow claws," Narcissa growled. Draco burst into hysterical laughter.  
  
"Oh no," Draco giggled. "Mother's going all Veela on Father."  
  
"Your mother's a Veela?" Harry asked incredulously.  
  
"Quarter. She gets claws when she's angry. Sharp teeth, too." Draco winced at the yelp of pain that was filtered through the Floo. "Oooh, I think she went for the gold with that one."  
  
Harry and James groaned and winced at the thought as Lucius appeared in the Floo, his normally impassive face strained and white. "Harry, I realize now that I said some uncharitable things about you and as my future son in law, were highly inappropriate. I'm-" He squeezed his eyes shut, almost biting through his lip. "Dearest, move your claws," he managed to say through a locked jaw.  
  
"I accept your apology," Harry said quickly. "You can tell Lady Malfoy I have no hard feelings and I apologize for any- ah- discomfort my words may have caused you-" he broke off as Lucius moved out of the fire.  
  
"Damn it, Cissa, he accepted! Move your claws, Harpy!" Lucius yelled.  
  
"He's called her Harpy several times," Harry said, stating the obvious.  
  
"He calls her that all the time. I think it's a pet name," Draco said, wrinkling his nose.  
  
James winced and Lily raised both her eyebrows.  
  
Narcissa reappeared in the Floo. "Anyway, Draco, behave yourself while we're gone, and thank the Potters for their hospitality. Thank you, Lily, James, Harry. Ta-ta, dears!" She ducked back out of the Floo. "Lucius! Did you get rid of the people on our private beach yet? I want to go tanning!"  
  
"Yes Dearest, now we have to hide the bodies," Lucius called back. They heard her sever the Floo connection with a Pop.  
  
James and Lily turned to Draco. "Were they serious?" Lily asked, a look of abject horror on her face.  
  
Draco shrugged.  
  
  
  
Sirius and Remus arrived an hour later while Harry and Draco faced off Seeker to Seeker, shooting around the Manor and all over the seventy acres that was the Potter Ancestral grounds. _Get the Snitch, get the Snitch,_ Harry chanted to himself as he wove in and out of trees, bushes, and statues, Draco hot on his heels.  
  
_ Damn, you have a one track mind,_ Draco snickered, swooping in front of Harry. Harry watched as the sunlight glinted off of Draco's hair, picking up gold and silver threads.  
  
_Nice... Draco, your hair looks like a halo... _Harry cocked his head, staring. The Snitch flew right in front of his face, yet he didn't see it. He kept flying, staring at Draco's hair as it sparkled and shimmered in the sunlight.  
  
_ Harry? Harry! HARRY!_ Draco yelled, staring at his soul mate with concern and horror as the Gryffindor flew straight into an ancient, solid oak. CRASH! Swearing, he dove and caught the falling Gryffindor. "What have I told you about not watching where you're flying?" Draco snapped while checking for any physical damage.  
  
Harry groaned and rubbed his forehead. "Watch out for trees," he muttered.  
  
"And what didn't you do??" Draco yelled.  
  
"Watch for the trees," Harry said softly, still rubbing his forehead. Draco moved his hand to examine the goose egg that was beginning to form.  
  
"Harry, what the hell was so important that you weren't watching where you were flying?" Draco groaned, soothing the bruise with his magic.  
  
Harry blushed. "Ummm," he groaned. "Do I have to answer that?" The sunlight playing in Draco's hair caught his attention yet again and he stared, his eyes wide. Unconsciously, he licked his lips.  
  
"Harry," Draco snickered. "What the hell is going on?"  
  
"Hmm?" Harry reached up and traced the edge of the blonde's hair with his fingertips.  
  
Draco shook his head, causing the silver and gold to shatter into a million pieces. Deftly, he guided the both of them to the ground as Sirius and Remus strolled outside. Seeing the two on the broom, Harry's godfather strolled over, arm in arm with Remus.  
  
"Hey, you two, don't you know it's dangerous to do it in midair- Harry?" Sirius yelped, noticing the enormous bruise on Harry's face. He sprinted, panic clouding his mind. "What happened?" he gasped, skidding next to Draco.  
  
"Dumb ass ran into a tree," Draco snapped, pressing a glowing hand to Harry's forehead.  
  
Harry glared at him. "Fine, if you must know, I was distracted by something incredibly beautiful," he yawned suddenly.  
  
Draco rolled his eyes. "What in the world could hold your attention beyond flying?"  
  
"You," Harry snapped, his eyes closing. "Now if you don't mind, I'm going to lie down." Without warning, he Apparated.  
  
Sirius stared at the place where Harry had been only seconds before. "What the hell just happened? Draco, when did you get here?"  
  
Draco sighed. "Come on, I'll tell you about it on the way in." They walked back into the Manor and Draco summoned Harry's broom.  
  
  
  
Severus and Laurel stepped out of the Floo in Potter Manor. "Is anyone home?" Severus called, looking for his favorite... well, his two favorite nephews and his favorite Godson._ Is anyone home?_ he sent mentally. Lily ran into the living room.  
  
"Sev!" she yelled, hugging her brother. "Hello, Laurel," she greeted her brother's soul mate, giving her a hug. "Come on and sit down, do you want anything to drink? Eat?" They declined and sank into the overstuffed, incredibly comfortable couches.  
  
James walked in, carrying Gareth. "Severus, Laurel," he said by way of greeting. "How are things going?"  
  
"Oh, just fine. We're adjusting well," Laurel said softly.  
  
"Something tells me this isn't a social visit," Lily said with a grin. "So, what's going on?"  
  
"Well," Severus said with a smile. Laurel held up her right hand proudly.  
  
Lily's jaw dropped. "That's the Snape Betrothal Ring," She said, her eyes wide. She held Laurel's hand up to the light, admiring the way the woven Celtic white and yellow gold band with intermingling Australian Fire Opals and diamonds nestled in the spaces sparkled in the light.  
  
"So when's the ceremony?" James asked, grinning.  
  
"Well, that's what we need help with," Severus frowned slightly. "Midsummer Eve's only twenty four days away, but it would be nice to do it then. We only want a small ceremony, after all."  
  
Lily grinned. "We're demigods and demigoddesses, Sev. We can have the ceremony tomorrow, if you two wanted that. So, where do you want this to take place?"  
  
Severus's cheeks turned slightly pink. "Um, Stonehenge?" he asked hopefully; chewing his lip as he silently begged his sister with enormous puppy eyes.  
  
Lily grinned at his pleading expression. "That would be beautiful, and as Harry and I happen to own that piece of property, I don't see why not."  
  
Severus grinned. "Thanks, Lils. You're the greatest."  
  
"May I ask what kind of ceremony?" James asked rocking Gareth.  
  
"We're both pagan, so I thought a traditional Pagan Wedding, since we have the elements here already. I was going to ask if Alanna would let Mother officiate and speak through her." Severus grinned, his arm around Laurel's shoulders.  
  
"What's going on?" Sirius asked, he and Remus walking into the room and promptly sinking into a couch. Draco walked in after them, scowling.  
  
"Hi, Uncle Sev, Aunt Laurel," Draco said by way of greeting. "You haven't seen Harry, have you?" he asked everyone in the room.  
  
"Nope, why? You two didn't have a fight, did you?" James asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"No, nothing like that. The dumb ass wasn't watching where he was flying and flew into a bloody tree." Draco's scowl deepened as he sat down. Severus choked on a laugh.  
  
"He did what?" Lily gasped.  
  
"He was too busy looking at me and flew full force into a tree. I'm going to go look for him." Draco stood back up and Apparated.  
  
"So what's going on?" Sirius asked, putting his feet up on an armrest and lying on Remus's lap.  
  
"Sev and Laurel are getting married!" Lily exclaimed happily. "Isn't that wonderful?"  
  
"That's nice," Sirius grinned. "You bagged yourself a good catch, Laurel... as greasy Potions Masters are in this year," he chuckled.  
  
Severus scowled and suddenly, Sirius was transformed into a black bunny rabbit with a big pink bow around his neck. "Oh look, Remus," Severus chuckled evilly. "I gave you a new chew toy."  
  
Lily burst into laughter while James and Remus scowled. "That isn't nice, Severus," Remus said softly. "Would you please turn my soul mate back into his annoying yet lovable self, and not something that I think would make a tasty snack?"  
  
Laurel grinned and wrinkled her nose, staring at the bunny with amusement. Severus crossed his arms. "Nope, I'm not going to. He insulted me."  
  
Draco Apparated into the room, dragging a protesting Harry behind him. "You shouldn't be lying down and sleeping with a concussion, Pothead," Draco snapped, exasperated.  
  
"I don't have a concussion! You healed me, remember?" Harry whined. "I'm sleepy, dumb ass! You woke me up at five in the morning!"  
  
"I'm not a dumb ass! I didn't FLY into a tree because I couldn't keep my eyes off your hair!!! And I didn't hear YOU complaining you were tired at five a.m.!" Draco dragged Harry over to an overstuffed armchair and sat down, pulling Harry onto his lap. Harry pouted and, with a sudden burst of inspiration, snuggled into Draco's shoulder, closing his eyes. Draco looked at everyone. "Oh, good morning," he greeted them.  
  
They continued to stare at him incredulously.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Oh nothing, you just look funny," Harry said from Draco's shoulder.  
  
"No I don't!" Draco conjured a mirror and started checking his appearance. "I do not!"  
  
Laurel rolled her eyes and resumed eyeing the bunny. Aha, I've got it! She snapped her fingers discretely and the bunny transformed back into Sirius Black, but something was definitely different. He was wearing black fishnet stockings, a black bikini bottom with a white fuzzy bunny tail, and a pink bow tie on a pink collar with a pink satin leash attached, and white bunny ears with pink linings.  
  
Severus yelped and hid his eyes behind Laurel's shoulder. "I'm scarred for life! I'm blind!"  
  
Harry and Draco stared at Sirius speculatively. Looks like fun, Harry muttered, envisioning Draco in the getup. Draco punched him.  
  
_I will NOT wear pantyhose!_ he thought, as his thoughts threatened to rebel and actually imagine the feeling of silk against his-_ NO!  
_  
Sirius stared at Severus. "What?" Then he looked down and screamed. "Why am I in a Playboy Bunny outfit!!!!" he shrieked at the top of his lungs. He looked up to see Remus's pupils dilate and lick his lips, growling softly in the back of his throat. "Um, Remmie?" Sirius asked nervously. Remus only grinned, showing slightly elongated teeth. His eyes glowed solid amber. Without a word, the Werewolf grabbed the pink satin leash and Apparated them back to Black Manor.  
  
The last thing they heard was Sirius screaming "HEEEEELLLLLPP!!" at the top of his lungs and then, an equally loud "NEVER MIND!!!"  
  
"Is it safe to look?" Severus asked timidly from his hiding spot behind Laurel's shoulder.  
  
"I don't see what you're complaining about," James said sourly, "considering that you did that to him. That was a side I NEVER wanted to see," he grumbled.  
  
"I didn't do that! I'm straight!" Severus protested vehemently. "Why would I want to see Black cross-dressing, especially as THAT??"  
  
Lily and Laurel exchanged a look before they both burst into laughter. "It's NOT funny!" James and Severus exclaimed, glaring at each other.  
  
"Yes it is!" Laurel and Lily yelled back, giggling madly.  
  
"No it isn't!" the two of them protested again.  
  
No one noticed Harry put Draco under a modified Imperio and Apparate them to Harry's bedroom.  
  
_You WILL wear the bunny costume,_ Harry ordered, giggling like a madman.  
  
Draco grinned at him. _Yes, Master,_ he chirped, his inhibitions gone with the wind. He knew what Harry was doing, and wasn't going to fight this in the least. It sounded like too much fun.  
  
  
  
Two days later, the invitations were done. Of course, Severus's favorite students, Harry and Draco's friends, were invited along with their families, as were all the Demigods and Demigoddesses. At the last minute, Lily had remembered Claudette and Lucas and their family, and then the rest of the rulers of the various nations had to be invited as well. As the last envelope was sealed, Lily sighed and sat back. Within seconds, the invitations had disappeared, appearing instantly in front of their intended recipients.  
  
Within a minute of the letters being sent, Alanna and Xander appeared next to Lily. "We're here!" they chanted in a sing song. "We want to help!"  
  
Within an hour, the rest of the Demigods and Demigoddesses had arrived, taking over the East Wing of Potter Manor, all eager to help set up the ceremony. Now that Laurel and Sirius were back, it was time to party, true Immortal style.  
  
"Now," Alanna asked three hours later, all business, pacing in front of the soon to be bride and groom, who were seated in the living room. "What kind of ceremony is this?"  
  
"Pagan, of course," Laurel said with a grin.  
  
"I knew that, but what kind? Old school, new age, clothing, no clothing, Elvin, Druid, Wizarding? What kind of Pagan?"  
  
Severus and Laurel just looked at Alanna with a lost expression on their faces.  
  
Alanna sighed. "This is going to take some work."  
  
Severus brightened. "Oh, would you and Mother officiate?"  
  
Alanna blinked and a tear dripped down her cheek. "Do you know what kind of honor it is to be asked that?" she sniffed, wrapping them in a bear hug. "Thank you! I would be honored and I'll ask Mother right away!" she hurried out the door and Apparated mid step.  
  
"That was weird," Severus remarked.  
  
"I think Wizarding, and clothes," Laurel said. "I want the Elements represented. Either that or Druid. We'll have to ask how they differ."  
  
  
  
Harry and Draco stood in the center of Stonehenge, basking in the ancient power that thrummed around them, soaring through their blood. _This is incredible,_ Harry said giddily, spinning in a circle on the stone altar in the center. Lily and James stood off to the side, talking quietly. Without warning, a bolt of lightning struck, enveloping Harry.  
  
"HARRY!!" Draco screamed. Lily and James walked over calmly. "Help him!" Draco yelled, gesturing to the brilliant white light.  
  
"Don't worry," Lily said calmly. That's how Merlin's palace is opened. Either that, or it's how Mother knocks some sense into us while we're in mortal form. He isn't hurt."  
  
Draco watched as the light receded, flowing into the ground and the stones arranged in a circle, leaving Harry panting on the altar stone. Stonehenge rumbled and the ground began to sink. Laurel and Severus appeared just as they sank underground.  
  
Harry gaped at the alabaster stone columns filigreed with gold leaf and precious gems the stones became once underground. He hesitantly walked out of the circle, Draco at his side, and into the smooth, domed cavern that was the foyer of Merlin's underground palace. "Oh, wow," he gasped, staring at the ceiling, charmed to look like the open sky. "I know where Hogwarts got the idea."  
  
Draco stared at the obvious, almost obscene statements of incredible wealth literally covering the walls. He traced the gold leaf vine running over the satiny wall to emerald leaves and ruby and diamond flowers. "Harry, can I strip the walls?" Draco wondered aloud accidentally.  
  
Harry glared at him. "No."  
  
Draco winced. "I said that aloud, didn't I. Oops."  
  
Harry rolled his eyes and walked further into the glowing palace, muttering about materialistic, conniving Slytherins. Severus heard him and started laughing.  
  
"What did you say to him THIS time?" he asked a glowering Draco.  
  
"I accidentally asked if I could strip the walls," Draco grumped.  
  
"Oh, that's nothing. I actually tried the last time we were here."  
  
Lily walked over and smacked him. "Don't you dare think I forgot! Turn out your pockets!"  
  
Severus sighed and turned them out. A pair of tweezers, a chisel and a flat scraper fell from his left pants pocket.  
  
Lily picked them up and started swearing at him in fourteen different languages, eight of them dead for over a thousand years. Draco started laughing, holding his stomach.  
  
"Lily, you don't need to swear," Severus sighed. "Besides, it's not like you can't replace the gems with ones in the Vault down here."  
  
"How do you make the stones look like this when they're up top?" Laurel asked. "That would be nice to have, especially in the open air."  
  
Lily paused mid obscenity. "Oh, that's simple. Harry or I could do it. Gareth will be able to as soon as he's old enough." She went right back to swearing at Severus with gusto. Severus rolled his eyes and tuned his sister out.  
  
  
  
Gaila and Olivia skipped up and down the halls of Potter Manor with their arms linked. "Exploring, exploring! We're going exploring!" they sang merrily, poking their heads into all the rooms. After almost twenty minutes, they stumbled into the largest library they had ever seen. "OOOH" Olivia squealed, running up the stairs to the floor marked 'Fiction- Muggle and Wizarding'.  
  
Gaila stared at the directory. "Where's the Anime?" She looked again. "OOOH! Third floor!" She sprinted up the stairs. "I'm COMING, ANIME!!!!!!"  
  
Olivia stared at the Fiction books and pulled out _Peter Pan_. She opened the first page, and out tumbled a boy, wearing green tights and what looked like leaves sown together to make a tunic. He brandished a small gold dagger at her. "Where am I?? This isn't Neverland! Where's Wendy!"  
  
"What the hell? Where did you come from?" Olivia gasped, staring at the boy with undisguised curiosity.  
  
"I'm Peter Pan and I came from Neverland. Who are you?"  
  
"I'm Olivia. How did you get out of the book?"  
  
"I don't know- wait, what book?" Olivia shrugged and opened the next page. A blond girl wearing a light blue nightgown tumbled out, landing on top of the boy.  
  
"Peter! she yelled, hugging him. "You just disappeared!"  
  
Olivia grinned evilly as she flipped even more pages, pulling John, Michael, the Lost Boys, Tinker Bell, several Pirates, and Captain Hook out of the book. This is gonna be so much fun! She skipped down the hallway, pulling books out at random and opening them, ignoring the fact that Peter Pan, Wendy, and the Lost boys had jumped on Captain Hook and were beating him to a bloody pulp while the Pirates danced around, singing drunkenly.  
  
Soon, Aslan, Legolas, Aragorn, Frodo, The Wizard, Dorothy, Toto, Lestat, Queen Akasha, Louis, Claudia, Ariel, King Triton, Belle, the Beast, and hundreds of other characters were running through the halls of the Manor, wreaking havoc.  
  
She grinned when she found a book called Pirates of the Caribbean. "Oh, Gabby," she called out.  
  
On the third floor, Gaila wandered into Anime Heaven. "SHWEET!" she yelled, grabbing a random comic book off the shelf. She opened the book, Vampire Game, and Duzell, in Kyawl form, bolted from the pages. Princess Ishtar stumbled out after him.  
  
"Duzie! Come back!" she yelled, chasing him through the isles. Darres and Yujinn came stumbling out after her.  
  
"Princess! Get back here! It' isn't safe! PRINCESS ISHTAR!!!" Darres yelled, racing after her. Yujinn muttered a curse under his breath. Gaila opened Mars, and watched as Kira and Rei tumbled out of the pages, half of their clothes gone.  
  
"Oops, what issue was that?" she muttered seeing the number 11 on the side. "Whoops." She heard Olivia yelling her name and Apparated to her side. "Livvie, I can't deal with your problems! I let a Vampire Lord into this world!"  
  
"Look what I found!" Olivia said, a maniacal grin on her face. She held up the book.  
  
Gaila stared at her, her eyes wide. "Jack!!!" she screamed, tearing into the book. An arm appeared on the page, and she pulled. A flabbergasted Will Turner stared at her and she groaned, shoving him back into the pages. Several hands reached out of the book and she grabbed the one with a sparrow tattoo on the wrist. Captain Jack Sparrow stumbled out of the book. Gaila kept a tight hold on his wrist, and with an insane grin, Apparated away. Olivia watched as Will Turner and Elizabeth stumbled out of the book, staring at Olivia.  
  
"Excuse me," Will asked Olivia. "Where are we? How did we get here?"  
  
Olivia shrugged, mentally licking her lips at the incredibly hot Will Turner. "I honestly have no idea what's happening."  
  
Raphael appeared next to Olivia. "What did you do to my soul mate??" he cried, his face pale. "She's got a bloody pirate in our bedroom!"  
  
Olivia stared at him. "It's Jack Sparrow," she said with a grin. Raphael started to cry. "What? Come on, Raph, you know she has the hots for him."  
  
"But I'm supposed to be her fantasy!" Raphael cried, a tear trickling down his face. "I even dressed up in the pirate costume for her!!!  
  
Olivia grinned. "So what are you waiting for? I'm sure she'd like two pirates..."  
  
Raphael brightened up considerably. "Hmmm... I hadn't thought of it that way.... Threesome... YAY!" He Apparated, an enormous grin on his face.  
  
"Great, that problem is solved. Now should I do about the storybook characters?"  
  
A book fell from the shelf and landed in front of Olivia, falling open to a random page. A small boy with a sling hopped out of the pages, followed by a giant. "Oh shit," Olivia muttered with wide eyes as David and Goliath ran around the library, trying to kill each other. Following them was the Philistine army, as well as King David and the Israelites, waging war on their enemies.  
  
"I give up!" Olivia threw her hands into the air and went to find Legolas, Will Turner as well as her soul mate Michael and Elizabeth for some well deserved relaxation.  
  
  
  
After exploring the Foyer, Lily pulled Harry aside. "We are the only two that can get any further on our own, and I don't particularly want to lead a grand tour to everyone else. Severus has already been here, as has James. It's up to you. Remember this- Draco must be touching you at all times if you are to go further, or if you change the wards to accept him. If he isn't, it might kill him. I know it'll kill an ordinary wizard. Understood?"  
  
"Question. How do I change the wards?" Harry asked curiously.  
  
"It's a long, involved process that I've done once in my life to include James and Severus in the Wards. It took me almost a week to recover from that and I don't want to get into it now as it requires memorizing several long incantations."  
  
"Are they written down anywhere?" Harry asked, wondering what was wrong with his mother.  
  
"Yes, it's back at the Manor, and something is wrong. I feel like all hell is breaking loose and I don't know what's going on."  
  
Harry cocked his head to one side. "Is it because you and Dad carry the wards for the Manor? Is something happening there?"  
  
"Yesss, something isn't right," she hissed, her eyes emerald slits. "What the- how the hell do books come alive???" she snapped, her eyes suddenly wide.  
  
"What?" Harry asked, almost laughing from the absurdity of it all. One look at the fear on his mother's face sobered him immediately. "Right, let's go, then," he said, ushering everyone back into the circle of columns. He could see his father gesturing wildly to Severus and Laurel. _He feels it too.  
  
_ "What's going on?" Draco asked. "I wanted to see Merlin's Palace! Harry, come on!" He ran over to the solid gold door along the wall.  
  
"Draco, get back here!" Harry yelled. "Someone of Merlin's Blood has to be with you at all times!"  
  
"Then get over here!" He reached the intricately carved door and grabbed the handle. Harry watched, eyes wide, as Draco flew backwards through the air.  
  
"Oh shit, oh shit," he muttered, slamming out his hand, emerald green shooting from his fingers. Draco stopped in midair and gently floated down to chest level. Harry ran forward and cradled Draco to his chest.  
  
"Ohh, my head," Draco groaned. "What the hell was that?"  
  
"That was the wards around Merlin's Palace," Lily said with a twisted grin.  
  
"Man, he packs a punch," Draco grimaced. He rested his head against Harry's shoulder wearily, his energy completely drained.  
  
"Well, that's the beauty of those wards. It finds your power, takes it, and uses it against you." Draco stared at Lily incredulously, but couldn't muster enough strength to do more than look.  
  
"That's really nasty," Harry said softly. "Love, you're really drained. I can feel it." Slowly, he pushed energy through their bond, replenishing his soul mate. Draco sighed and leaned back.  
  
They stood inside the circle of stones. Harry watched, intrigued, as his mother stood on the altar stone, her body glowing white. Slowly, the ground shook again and they returned to the surface. They stumbled out from the circle and Apparated back to the Manor immediately.  
  
The appeared inside the Front Hall and were almost trampled by the Israelites storming after the Philistines. Harry watched, entranced, as a half naked girl and incredibly hot guy ran across the Hall and disappeared into the dungeons. "What the hell?" Draco muttered, staring as a girl with dark hair and eyes danced a slow, revolving waltz with an enormous, shaggy monster straight from the pits of hell.  
  
A tall man with a sword was standing on the staircase, arguing with a midget with huge feet about some ring the midget had on a chain around his neck. Harry wandered up the staircase and further into the Manor, almost tripping over a dropped sword in the middle of the walkway. "Bloody hell!" Harry swore, at last coming to his room. He pushed open the door and walked to his bed, gently depositing Draco in the incredibly soft surface. "Get some rest, Love," he said softly, watching Draco's eyes flutter closed. Turning back around, he stopped and stared.  
  
Standing in the doorway was an Arabian girl wearing scarlet harem outfit with scarlet and gold veils covering her face. Gold bracelets wrapped around her wrists. She carefully held a lamp between her delicate hands. "Are you my master?" she asked softly, her enormous dark eyes shining with hope.  
  
"What?" he asked, his eyes huge. Oh my God, this is bad... or good, what to do?  
  
Draco sat up, instantly awake. He stared at the genie with wide eyes. "Harry, what the hell did you do?" he asked aloud.  
  
Harry stared at Draco. "I have no idea," he groaned. "Go back to sleep." Draco closed his eyes, exhausted. "Come with me," he ordered the Genie.  
  
"Yes, Master!" she chirped, putting the lamp in Harry's hands. Harry strode into the hall, closing the door behind him and warding it so Draco would not be disturbed while he slept. "Is he my other master?" the genie asked, staring at the door. At Harry's blank look, she put her hands together, strengthening the wards almost four fold.  
  
Harry raised his eyebrows. "Maybe having a Genie isn't so bad. What's your name?" he asked the girl.  
  
"Genie!" she said promptly, with a smile.  
  
"Oh, well, Genie, where did you come from?" he asked, and, with a thought, Apparated the both of them into the Dining Hall where Lily and James sat with Severus, Sirius, Laurel and Remus. Lily cradled Gareth in her arms, cooing at him happily.  
  
"I came from Arabian Nights, Master," she said, bowing slightly.  
  
Severus's, Sirius's, Remus's and James's eyebrows disappeared into their hairlines. "MASTER???" they yelled.  
  
"Well, she is a Genie named Genie, for I'm guessing the book Arabian Nights," Harry said with a grin. "Does anyone have any idea how they got out of the books?" he asked, staring at Beauty and the Beast, who had snatched some food from the Kitchens and were happily chowing down at the other end of the table.  
  
"Not a clue. Hello, Alanna," Lily greeted as Alanna appeared next to the table.  
  
"Hello, Lily- what the hell is going on here?" Alanna asked, completely bewildered as a snow white pig ran under the table and out the door, followed by a pack of dogs.  
  
"How is Mother?" Harry asked brightly.  
  
"We have a problem," Alanna grimaced.  
  
"What's wrong? Can't she make the wedding?" Laurel asked anxiously.  
  
"No, it's not that. She'd love to co officiate. It's just that Clautius is alive, and he's rebuilding Hell, even worse than before. We're in deep shit."  
  
  
  
A/N: And so ends chapter one. I hope you liked it. Would you believe I shelled this out in three days? I decided not to wait to update... hope you don't mind too much. I just couldn't leave everyone without their beloved chapters for too long! Thank you, everyone who reviewed. On to chapter 2!  
  
B/N: Yay, good times! And I gave her the book idea! But if you are angry about it, then it is entirely her fault! And wouldn't it just be great to have those little Kyawls running around? If you don't know what we are talking about, go to your nearest Borders, go to the Graphic Novel section, and look for the books that we mentioned! 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Here's chapter 2! I am SOOOOO sorry that it took so long but... I'm in PARAMEDIC SCHOOL!!!!!! I had to take a test, so no one would let me type! I had to study! That, and I spent the last week dealing with my mom getting sick, hospital trip and overnight stay sick, not average run of the mill sick, and then a road trip from Chicago to Cleveland for a family reunion. I'm so sorry I couldn't get this chappie out soon enough! That being said, here it is and I'm happy to say that I like this chapter! Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 2  
  
"What?" Laurel gasped her eyes wide with terror.  
  
Severus grabbed her and hugged her close. "It's all right. I won't let him hurt you, Love. I promise." He gently rocked her back and forth, his onyx eyes resolute.  
  
"We'll have to call Claudette, Lucas, Lorien, and the rest of the leaders," Harry said, staring at the table.  
  
"Would Master like to make a wish?" Genie asked, staring at Harry inquisitively.  
  
"Is it unethical to wish that Clautius were dead?" Harry asked dryly. Alanna laughed.  
  
"Genie cannot kill, Master. I am sorry." Genie pouted and stared dejectedly at the floor.  
  
"Harry, I don't think anything she does in this world will be effective once we figure out what happened and how to send them back." Lily rested her head in her hands. "I don't understand. Where did they come from? How did they get out of their books?"  
  
"Genie, what would you wish for?" Harry asked suddenly.  
  
Genie stared at him, her eyes wide. "I do not know, Master. I guess Freedom. We are slaves to the lamp, you know."  
  
Harry grinned. "Wish granted. Do you want freedom, Genie?"  
  
"You're changing the story!" Lily hissed.  
  
"Oh well," Harry said. "I didn't like that story from Arabian Nights anyway. It was horrible."  
  
"I want Freedom," Genie nodded.  
  
"I wish for your freedom," Harry announced. The gold bracelets of Genie's wrists fell away and she sprang forward, hugging Harry.  
  
"Thank you!" She grinned widely and disappeared.  
  
Lily raised her eyebrows. "You do realize that could be dangerous- a freed genie running around. Besides, now that she's free, she might not go back into her book."  
  
Harry shrugged.  
  
"All right, so we need the support of the Magical world-" Harry interrupted Alanna's musing.  
  
"Scratch that," Harry said softly. "We need everyone. Muggle, Wizard, Drow, Dragon, Elves, Faerie, Veela, Werewolves, Vampires, and Magical Creatures - we need to stand together on this. It's time to approach Voldemort again, and we need to strike soon before Clautius is able to mass forces. We also need - Alanna, is there a way to put a tracer on everyone on the planet?"  
  
"I suppose," Alanna said. "Why?"  
  
"How did he make the Dementors?" Harry countered.  
  
"Xander and I will get right on it," Alanna said, understanding his train of thought.  
  
"But that will expose us to Muggles!" Severus hissed angrily, his eyes flashing.  
  
"We don't have time for this!" Harry yelled. "They are coming and they are going to kill ALL of us, regardless of Magical ability! We need whoever we can get!"  
  
Draco appeared in the Dining Hall, sleepily rubbing his eyes. "What's going on? Hi Alanna!"  
  
"Hello, Draco," Alanna said in a subdued voice.  
  
"What's going on?" Draco repeated, worried.  
  
"Clautius isn't dead and he's massing an army," Harry said point blank.  
  
"Well, duh," Draco said. "I knew that." Everyone stared at him incredulously. "What? Did you honestly think the energy from us killed him? He isn't Mother's soul mate for nothing. He's more powerful than we are due to that bond. He can and probably does draw on Her strength on a regular basis." He put his head on the table and closed his eyes.  
  
"HE SPEAKS THE TRUTH."  
  
"Hello, Mom," Harry said with a grin. Draco sat up with a start.  
  
"THIS IS WHY I NEED A CHAMPION. I NEED SOMEONE WHO IS NOT TIED MAGICALLY TO CLAUTIUS SO HE CANNOT USE THEIR MAGIC AGAINST THEM. HARRY, DRACO, YOU KNOW HE IS COMING. YOU MUST BE READY."  
  
"So, what's he coming with?" Draco asked, mentally calculating.  
  
"Demon hordes, most likely. He doesn't have time to create good, powerful Dementors," Sirius said with a scowl.  
  
"How long before he can completely rebuild?" Harry asked.  
  
"IF HE HURRIES, IN TWO YEARS HE CAN HAVE OVER FOUR BILLION DEMONS, ONE FOR EVERY TWO PEOPLE ON EARTH."  
  
"And how long do we have until he's up to full strength, where he was before?" Draco asked.  
  
"No more than five years," Alanna said, calculating quickly.  
  
"So we need to attack within the next year if we have any chance of winning," Severus said thoughtfully, his eyes narrowed.  
  
"What do we do about Adrian?" Harry asked suddenly.  
  
Everyone except for Draco stared at him in surprise. "What do you mean?" Alanna asked tentatively, her expression troubled.  
  
"Well, he is Ginny's soul mate, as is Darius. It'll kill the both of them if Adrian were harmed." Harry explained.  
  
"He's the second most evil person in existence!" Xander protested after Apparating into the room.  
  
"But he's Ginny's and Darius's soul mate. What happens if one or both or all three of them die without bonding?"  
  
Alanna stared off into space. "Can we not talk about this?" Xander asked desperately, grabbing her hand and guiding her out of the Dining Hall. "It'll be ok, Love. You'll see."  
  
"What is going on?" Lily asked, rocking Gareth back and forth. "Why does she freak out every time Adrian's name is mentioned? She just about goes catatonic!"  
  
Gaila walked in the Dining Hall, pulling Captain Jack and Raphael in behind her. "Come on, all this fun has made me hungry!" she chirped.  
  
"But, Love, I don't want anyone else seeing me in my underbritches, savvy?" Jack protested, trying to cover his lack of clothing with his hat.  
  
"My Love, not yours!" Raphael snapped. The three of them stopped short, staring at the people in the Dining Hall.  
  
"Uh oh," Gaila said, her face bright red. "Hi, guys." Harry snickered and Draco fell over from laughter. Blushing furiously, Gaila conjured clothing for Captain Jack as they sat down at the table.  
  
"Gaila, maybe you can answer this. Why does Alanna freak out when Adrian's name is mentioned?" Severus asked speculatively.  
  
"Ooh, they have a bad history. I know she told you that they had children together, Morgan Le Fay and Merlin. Clautius told Adrian to find her and get her to trust him and then he came to take her back to his realm so he could take her power again. Well, Morgan went with Adrian when she and Xander cast them back into Hell. I don't think she's ever forgiven Adrian for doing that to her." Gaila sat on both Raphael and Captain Jack's laps. "Is there any way to get food in this place?"  
  
"I don't think that's it," Remus mused. "She smelled sad, not angry." Sally popped into the Dining Hall.  
  
"Lord Potter, there is a talking tea pot in the Kitchen! She's trying to order me around!" Sally complained, burying her face in James's pants leg.  
  
James rolled his eyes heavenward. "What the hell is going on in my house??"  
  
"YOUR YOUNGEST HAS BEEN DOING MAGIC," Mother replied, quite amused.  
  
"What?" Lily asked, staring at Gareth incredulously. The month old baby gurgled back at her.  
  
"HARRY SHOWED MAGIC TWO DAYS OUT OF THE WOMB. WHAT MAKES THIS SO IMPOSSIBLE?"  
  
"But- but -but," James stuttered, completely shaken.  
  
"BUT NOTHING. SIRIUS, WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT WHEN YOU READ GARETH A BEDTIME STORY?"  
  
"Oh, yeah," Sirius said, scratching his head. "Gareth touched the wolf picture and it moved, and almost walked off the page. I thought it was part of the story!"  
  
"HE DID THIS," Mom laughed. "YOU'LL HAVE TO REVERSE THIS SOMEHOW AND SEND THE CHARACTERS BACK INTO THEIR BOOKS. GAILA, YOU ARE NOT TO ABUSE THE STORYBOOK CHARACTERS THAT WAY."  
  
Gaila blushed but Captain Jack grinned. "Oh, Ma'am, I don't mind being abused like that, savvy? Now, does anyone have any rum around here?" Gaila conjured some and handed it to Jack, who tipped the bottle back heartily. "Thanks, love."  
  
Raphael groaned and muttered under his breath, "Shut up, you wanker. She's mine. My love! The only person she can abuse is me!"  
  
Captain Jack smirked at Raphael.  
  
Harry groaned and rested his head in his hands. "All right, let's put them back," he muttered. He and Draco joined hands, a soft glow surrounding them. The characters from the books started to become transparent. They wavered and finally disappeared.  
  
Gaila pouted and Gareth started to cry.  
  
Lily stared at her son and stood up. "Where's the book, Siri?" she asked, rocking the inconsolable Gareth. Sirius muttered a spell and the book flew through the window and into Lily's hand. Gareth stared at the white wolf on the front and gurgled happily.  
  
"You were reading him White Fang?" James asked, staring at the book with amusement.  
  
"Hey, he picked it," Sirius countered.  
  
"Yeah right. My month old son picked that book," James snorted.  
  
Gareth grinned and the book started floating, to Lily and James's surprise and consternation. Draco grinned. "I have an idea." He walked over to Gareth, his arms outstretched. "May I?" Lily handed the baby over and Draco transformed into his wolf self, curling up around the ecstatic baby. Gareth cooed as he lay against the silk fur, occasionally fisting and yanking on a tuft. Draco, to his credit, kept the yelping in pain to a minimum as Gareth fell asleep, his hands curled tightly in his fur.  
  
Gaila still pouted. "Sure, appease the baby. Can I get Jack back?"  
  
"Hell no!" Raphael glared. Gaila sniffed and flounced from the room.  
  
"Jack?" They could hear her calling around the Manor. "Jack, where are you? Come out come out where ever you are!"  
  
  
  
"Mr. President," There's someone here to see you," the aide announced nervously. The current President of the Unites States stood up quickly as a young woman of medium height with waist length black curly hair strode into his office, effectively pushing the aide out of her way.  
  
"Mr. President, my name is Alanna and I have a proposition for you." The President sat down heavily.  
  
"Yes, my Lady?" he asked neutrally, a resigned expression on his face.  
  
"You know who I am?" she asked curiously.  
  
"Our newest Naval Captain, Captain George, spoke highly of you and of the situation you found yourself in regarding two friends of yours and, I believe, it was the powers of Hell?" the President asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Yes, it was." Alanna grinned sardonically. "Then you know why I'm here."  
  
The President stared at her. "You are asking for more wizards to bolster your forces. I'm not sure what I can do, but-"  
  
Alanna held up her hand. "He's coming, Mr. President. The time to single this out as a Wizarding or Muggle problem is over. We need everyone who can fight to do so. We are approaching the other countries as well. This is serious and all out war."  
  
The President stared at her in horror. "You can't be serious! How can Muggles fight demons???? I mean- you're gods! You can deal with this, right?"  
  
"Demigods, actually. And, we can't deal with this alone. That's where we need you. Nuclear warheads kill everything," she said grimly. "That's what this has come down to. He's massing an army of incredible proportions and will be coming for us. Bullets, curses, bombs- you name it, we need it. Will you help us?"  
  
"This is going to expose Magic to everyone! How are the Wizards taking it?" the President sat back, shaking his head.  
  
"It's past the point of caring. We need everyone in this. Besides, we always planned on unifying the magical and Muggle worlds- now seems as good of a time as any."  
  
"I'll run this by Congress's Magical Committee and see how best to broach the subject."  
  
"You have a month to do that before I speak to Congress myself," Alanna warned.  
  
The President sighed and rubbed his eyes. "You had to do this before an election year, didn't you?" he accused with a wry grin.  
  
Alanna sighed, and then perked up considerably. "Hey- if we win, you'll be the President who vanquished Satan. If we lose, there won't be an election anyway. It's a win-win scenario!"  
  
The President scowled at her. "Funny. Only someone as powerful as you can joke about this."  
  
Alanna's eyes held a haunted look. "It's either laugh or run screaming. I know how monstrous he is from first hand experience. Believe me; we're ALL fighting for survival here."  
  
The President just stared at her. "Tell you what. Why don't YOU approach Congress? Say that and you'll have our entire fighting forces at your beck and call."  
  
Alanna looked at him. "As one Leader to another, I hope you're right."  
  
  
  
Xander swept into Riddle Manor, right in the middle of a Death Eater meeting, with a disdainful sniff. "You call this a secret fortress?" he asked to no one in particular. Voldemort, now with a head full of ebony hair streaked with gray, and looking less skeletal, visibly bristled.  
  
"Who the hell are you?" Voldemort spat, standing up and stalking over to Xander, raising his wand threateningly.  
  
Xander yawned and snapped his fingers. Voldemort's wand suddenly became a bouquet of flowers.  
  
Voldemort stared at the flowers in his hand with a resigned expression before tossing them to the floor. "Let me guess, you're a big bad demigod and you're here to eternally damn me for my sins."  
  
Xander laughed. "Nope, not right at all. I'm THE big, bad demigod in charge of this planet, and I'm here to find out how deep your bond to Clautius goes."  
  
"Bull sh-" A Death Eater started to yell, raising his wand. Xander stared at him and he turned into a miniature cow. The cow started munching on the flowers happily. Voldemort kicked the cow across the room.  
  
"Nope, not bull shit. I'm here to test your bond. So, if you don't mind, could we lose the audience? I don't think you want to start screaming in agony in front of your minions," Xander said with a nasty smirk.  
  
Voldemort gulped slightly. Parkinson was now a cow, a very tiny cow. His wand was now a useless bouquet of flowers. Hastily, he made his decision. "Death Eaters! OUT!" he bellowed. The assembled Death Eaters grumbled and started Apparating.  
  
Once they had all left, Voldemort crossed his arms. "Do your worst."  
  
Xander grinned. "Really? Cool!" Voldemort was suddenly sporting a blond beehive wig, long scarlet nails, and a Carmen Miranda outfit, complete with giant pineapples.  
  
Voldemort rolled his scarlet eyes. "Are you quite finished?"  
  
"Nope, just getting started!" Xander stalked around the Dark Lord critically. A scarlet beam shot from his hand and enveloped Voldemort, who went rigid.  
  
"Go ahead and scream," Xander encouraged. "This is going to hurt."  
  
For an agonizingly long thirty seconds, Voldemort screamed continuously.  
  
As soon as the scan was done, and the scarlet beam released him, Voldemort collapsed into a boneless heap on the floor. "Ouch," he wheezed.  
  
"I told you," Xander said cheerfully, offering Voldemort a hand up. With a snarl, Voldemort batted the hand away and stood up on his own.  
  
"So, Healer, what's the diagnosis?" he asked sarcastically.  
  
"Well, you're pretty much useless to us," Xander said with a sigh. "I wish it were different because we don't like to lose anyone, but you're magic is under his control. It has been for decades."  
  
Voldemort's eyes widened. "What do you mean?" he asked, suspiciously. "He's taught me, but not given me powers. At least, none that I've been aware of."  
  
"And, I know who your soul mate is, but if you bond with her you give her mind and magic to Clautius as well," Xander continued as if Voldemort hadn't spoken.  
  
"Wait- that's the second time someone has said I have a soul mate. What are you talking about?" Voldemort scratched his hair in confusion.  
  
"Well, you have a really nice, slightly high strung lady whom you belong to- mind, body and soul. Unfortunately, somehow- wait, how often did you write in that diary, the one Lucius Malfoy used to open the Chamber of Secrets?" Xander asked, his eyebrows raised.  
  
"Every day for several years, and every day since my resurrection, why?" Voldemort asked suspiciously.  
  
"Where did you get it?" Xander sighed, already knowing the answer.  
  
"Clautius, my teacher." Voldemort's eyes widened. "You mean-"  
  
"Yup, it's how you were linked. That's why Ginny isn't linked to Clautius but has demon powers. She didn't write in it long enough."  
  
"Why- why are you bringing this up now?"  
  
"Is your Veil to Clautius still open?" Xander asked.  
  
"No. It was destroyed some months ago, along with the better half of my dungeons."  
  
"Clautius is going to destroy this planet," Xander said bluntly. "He's not going to take control. You all will lose if you side with him. I was coming here to ask for help- you're human. You should fight for your planet, moral sides be damned. Everyone loses- light, dark, if he wins. But you pretty much belong to him."  
  
"Is that so bad? He's been my Master since I was twenty," Voldemort asked.  
  
"Well, that depends on your idea of bad. If you want to become a Dementor, it's wonderful, because that's the only use he has for humans, besides demon food. If you actually want to live, it's horrible because this planet is going down the crapper if he takes over the Universe like he plans to."  
  
"The Universe?" Voldemort choked. "That's nuts! Even I'M not that crazy!"  
  
"I'm glad you think so. However, you won't be able to join our side. Your magic and life pretty much are his. I don't know if Mother could break his hold on you."  
  
Voldemort scowled. "He and I are going to have a little talk. I'm NO ONE'S puppet and I don't like being bound like that unknowingly."  
  
"You're going to tell off Satan," Xander said disbelievingly. "Could you get it recorded? I want to see that."  
  
"I suppose the governments I control are his as well?" Voldemort asked, switching subjects.  
  
"Who came up with the Dark Mark and do the people in those governments have them?" Xander asked, rubbing his temples.  
  
"Three guesses. He did, and yes, they have them. But, Lucius's mark was broken," Voldemort suddenly said, struck with inspiration.  
  
Xander's eyes widened. "By who?"  
  
"The Boy Wonders themselves," Voldemort said with as much sarcasm as he could muster.  
  
"Harry and Draco can break Clautius's mark. Cool. This may not be hopeless. Oh, question- why are you so helpful?" Xander asked suspiciously.  
  
"Clautius is too controlling. I want to be in control and I don't like dancing to another person's tune. Besides, he wasn't teaching me much anyway. He kept saying I wasn't powerful enough to learn. Who's my soul mate?"  
  
Xander smirked and bent his head towards Voldemort's ear, whispering.  
  
Voldemort's eyes widened comically. "WHAT???"  
  
Xander smirked and nodded. "Tell you what. You let Harry and Draco slowly remove the Marks, and I'll hook you two up."  
  
Voldemort's eyes widened. "Well, I'll be damned. It really was her." His eyes lost their focus and turned misty.  
  
"Do we have a deal?" Xander asked, grinning.  
  
"They say it's always the one who got away," Voldemort mused. He stared at Xander. "You find a way to break his hold on me so she doesn't get hurt and then we'll talk. For now, I'll slowly get the others maneuvered so that they can have their marks removed without Clautius noticing. I have a question now. What happens when Clautius dies? You are going to kill him, right? Well, what happens to those that have the mark still?"  
  
Xander paled. "They- well, he drains them of energy in an effort to save himself. They shrivel up and die."  
  
Voldemort gulped. "You better find a way to remove his bond."  
  
  
  
Over the next three weeks, Alanna and Xander Apparated in and out of the Manor, visiting the Muggle and Magical governments of the world and making alliances. Most of the Magical communities readily agreed to train troops for the war, with the exception of those already controlled by Voldemort, and after the Muggle Leaders got over the fact that there was a Demigod in their offices, they agreed as well. Everyone else worked on the wedding preparations, preparing for their roles in the imminent ceremony.  
  
Ginny popped in and out every day, generally in the company of Darius; the two of them completely joined at the hip. They ran around, helping set up for the wedding preparations. Four days before the ceremony, Claudette, Lucas and everyone invited arrived on Harry and Sirius's doorsteps and moved into the manors.  
  
At last, the big day arrived in a flurry of activity. Harry, Draco, Severus, James, Sirius and Remus were at Black Manor, getting Severus ready.  
  
"Damn it!" Severus swore for the tenth time that hour. Harry grinned at the sight- Severus Snape, Potions Master, Greasy Git and All around Bastard of Hogwarts, swearing because his hair wouldn't behave. "This is bloody ridiculous! I've NEVER had this problem! And, why, for the love of God, can't I wear the BLACK Snape robes????" James and Harry looked at each other and broke into peals of laughter.  
  
"It's not funny," Severus growled, eyeing his nephew and brother in law with malicious intent. "I am not going to look like a bloody idiot-" Harry snorted and Draco elbowed him sharply, "on my wedding day!" He gestured to the deep blue, jade and silver ancestral robes he was trying to magic off that Harry and Draco kept charming to stay put.  
  
Lucius, resplendent in ebony robes of finest satin with the Malfoy crest over the left breast and a beautiful modern cut tuxedo underneath, walked into Severus's room, unannounced, and eyed the fuming Potions Master before snickering. "All right there, Severus?" the elder Malfoy asked with a smirk.  
  
"No, Lucius, everything is NOT all right! I look like a bloody poof in this blasted robe and my hair won't behave!!!" Severus snapped, yanking futilely at the mandarin collar of the silk robes.  
  
"Hey, I'm deeply offended by that," Sirius, Harry, Remus and Draco deadpanned in unison.  
  
Remus rolled his eyes and Apparated, mumbling about a mercy run to the girls for some hair gel and Valium for the groom.  
  
Lucius rolled his eyes, grumbling to himself. "It's bad enough that my son is gay. Does he have to flaunt it?"  
  
"Two words, Father," Draco drawled, smirking and straightening his silvery blue robes. "Merlin's Fortune. I'd like to see you do better than that." Lucius opened and closed his mouth several times before throwing his hands up into the air in exasperation.  
  
Harry huffed mock angrily. "I knew it! You just want me for my money!" He flounced off, swirling his deep emerald robes impressively.  
  
"Well it can't be the sex," Draco teased. Harry stuck his nose in the air, insulted.  
  
Lucius choked and a dull pink appeared on his cheeks. Severus stared at his old schoolmate with wide, incredulous eyes.  
  
"Oh, look," Harry snickered. "We made your father blush, Draco."  
  
Draco raised an eyebrow as he stared at his scowling father. He grinned suddenly, an angelic smile that completely masked the devil within. Lucius blinked and started to back up. Severus did as well, both of them staring at Draco with something akin to horror.  
  
"Do we run?" Severus whispered to his longtime friend.  
  
"He's too powerful. He'll catch us," Lucius whispered back.  
  
Harry, Sirius and James stared at each other, confused. "What's going on?" Harry asked, staring at his soul mate with bemusement.  
  
"When he looks like that, all Hell's about to break loose," Severus whimpered. Lucius simply nodded, never taking his eyes from his son, who smile back innocently, seemingly unable to hurt a fly.  
  
Harry snickered and wrapped his arms around Draco's waist, resting his chin of Draco's shoulders. "Love, isn't it bad luck to traumatize any member of the Wedding Party before the big event?"  
  
Draco snickered slightly and turned his angelic expression on his soul mate. "Who says I'm traumatizing anyone?" Harry grinned at Draco just as angelically.  
  
James snorted and rounded on Lucius Malfoy angrily. "Your son," he spat, "has corrupted MY son!" Lucius sneered at James. Lucius raised his wand and James's hand swirled deep blue.  
  
Remus appeared, carrying an industrial size bottle of hair gel, a case of Valium and a red envelope that immediately began to smoke around the edges. He grinned wolfishly. "These," he dumped everything into Severus's arms, "are for you."  
  
Severus grinned at the sight of the Valium and dumped everything else into a heap. He ripped open the case and grabbed a bottle, wrestling it open. He popped a tiny white pill, completely ignoring the Howler.  
  
The Howler began to smoke around the edges. Finally, it burst into flames and Laurel's voice, magnified a hundred times over, echoed throughout the Manor.  
  
"SEVERUS!!! IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR FREAKING ARSE OVER HERE AND MEET ME AT THE AISLE THEN I WILL DROWN YOU WITH THE HAIR GEL!!! AND DON'T USE UP ALL OF MY VALIUM!!!!!"  
  
Severus grinned lopsidedly at the voice. "Okie dokie, Laurie," he murmured, his eyelids drooping and swaying slightly back and forth. Harry started laughing at the Valium induced high his uncle was currently riding on.  
  
"Oh- Severus?" Lucius asked, staring at his long time best friend with first concern and then mirth. "Is someone recording this? This would be perfect blackmail material."  
  
"We already have that covered," Harry said, producing a camera and snapping pictures as Severus started spinning in a circle, singing softly about drunken pirates and the sailor's hornpipe.  
  
Draco snickered as Severus started dancing a tango all by himself, dipping as he staggered across the room. Harry just grinned, snapping pictures every few seconds.  
  
  
  
They managed to get Severus ready without any further problems. At last, it was time for everyone to relocate to Stonehenge. The guests were seated inside the alabaster stones with gold inlay vines. Alanna with Mom included, stood in the center of the stones, ready to start the ceremony. Four candles marked exact North, South, East and West twenty feet diameter around the altar. Laurel, Xander, and Harry stood at the Northeast point outside the stones, and Severus, Lily and Draco stood at the Southwest point. Laurel was resplendent in a medieval, floor length white gown with gold trim. A golden embroidered crown of thorns with a rose through the center adorned her left breast and the center of her back. Severus was sober and magically unable to complain about his robes or hair.  
  
At exactly eight o'clock, the two groups slowly walked into the circle of alabaster stones, Harry and Draco first as honor guard for the bride and groom, Laurel and Severus in the middle, and Lily and Xander bringing up the rear. The four guards took up their positions: Harry at North, Draco at South, Xander at East and Lily at West.  
  
Alanna began chanting in old High Gaelic, her voice intermingled with the thundering, ethereal voice of Mom. Harry started to glow first, a deep verdant green. Draco was next, a bright silvery blue. Lily and Xander started glowing right after, red and deep blue. The stones glowed, at each compass point, red, green, dark blue-purple and light blue-silver. The colors spread from stone to stone, touching its neighboring colors and converging to a single point in a semicircle above Stonehenge. The colors flared and rippled, turning a faint silvery white before disappearing completely.  
  
"**We are gathered here this evening to witness the public affirmation of the bonding of Severus Snape and Laurel Rosethorne**," Alanna and Mother intoned. "**If there is anyone who knows of any reason why these two should not bond, speak now or forever hold your peace**."  
  
"She belongs to my father, as do you, Alanna," a voice yelled from empty air. Alanna's eyes widened and Xander growled. Severus wrapped his arms around Laurel, daring anyone to take her from him. Adrian appeared instantly after, a sneer set firmly on his face.  
  
Ginny and Darius shot out of their seats. "Oh, no you don't," Ginny hissed, grabbing Adrian's left arm. Darius grabbed his right, equally angry. They dragged the Prince of Hell out of the stone circle amid cat calls and boos.  
  
"He has no objections!" Darius yelled before leaving the circle. Everyone cheered and Alanna continued the ceremony.  
  
Adrian's mouth dropped open. "I do so! I object! They cannot bond! I- " Swearing in Parseltongue, Drow, and countless other languages, Ginny and Darius dragged the demon from Stonehenge  
  
Once outside the stones, Ginny twisted his arm. "You'll shut up or we'll NEVER include you in the bond!" she snarled, her eyes black slits.  
  
Darius smirked grimly at Adrian's suddenly pale face and sickly expression.  
  
"You wouldn't dare," Adrian protested weakly, suddenly terrified. "You aren't that cruel. You can't be. You're the nice ones."  
  
"So help us God, we would," Darius snapped.  
  
"SO SWORN, SO UPHELD." There was a flash of light and a crack of thunder.  
  
Adrian kept his mouth shut, his eyes wide and fearful.  
  
"Now you listen and you listen good," Ginny growled. "I've had it with you. You will either shape up, and stop being an asshole or we'll exclude you. You have a choice to be a better person than this. Your father is a fucked up, low life, piece of scum and you don't have to listen to him, damn it!!"  
  
Darius raised his eyebrows. "I think that sums it up nicely. You are your own person, Adrian. And, while we both find you hot as Hell, no pun intended," Adrian grinned sardonically, his face still pale, "we won't have anything to do with you if you persist in being your father's evil spawn."  
  
"But I am my father's evil spawn!" Adrian protested, biting his lip. "You're asking me to change who I am!"  
  
"You misunderstand," Ginny snarled. "We're not asking- we're telling and you'll do it or you'll be alone forever."  
  
Adrian closed his eyes. "You're asking me to give up my entire life or what could be my entire life. Just about unlimited power with my father for second string, yet eternal happiness with you. This isn't fair."  
  
"We can't play both sides." Ginny sighed, her anger suddenly spent. "You're hurting us and hurting our family. That's my uncle's wife you're threatening as well as my older sister. I can't let you hurt them without having to stop you."  
  
Darius shrugged. "Great Grandmother, for me. Besides, with your father being Satan and all, you're never going to have the kind of power you crave. He'll always make sure you're never more powerful than he. With us, we'll be probably second only to Draco, Harry and Mother."  
  
Adrian's eyes grew calculating. "Just how powerful are they?" he asked.  
  
Ginny smirked at him. "Cut ties with your father, join us, and we'll tell you. Better yet, we'll show you."  
  
Adrian's eyes grew cold. "That powerful, huh?"  
  
"Your father doesn't stand a chance," Darius smirked.  
  
Adrian started. "What?" he snapped, disbelieving. "Father is All Powerful!"  
  
"Only because of his bond to Mom," Ginny smirked and then slapped a hand over her mouth.  
  
Darius smacked her lightly on the back of the head. "Smooth, ace. That was really smart. What else do you want to tell him before Alanna, Xander, Harry and Draco kill you?"  
  
Adrian's mouth dropped open. "But that's impossible! They'd have to be-"  
  
"AS STRONG AS I. ADRIAN, YOUR FATHER ALREADY KNOWS HOW STRONG THEY ARE AND WILL NOT ACQUEISE. YOU MUST CHOOSE FOR YOURSELF. YOU CAN BE WITH YOUR FATHER OR YOUR MO- SOUL MATES. JUST KNOW THAT THERE ARE THOSE WHO CARE ABOUT YOU ON THIS SIDE, WHILE ON THE OTHER YOU ARE A MEANS TO AN END. I KNOW CLAUTIUS'S MIND, AS HE IS MY OTHER HALF. HE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT ANYONE. YOU MUST CHOOSE. IT IS UP TO YOU."  
  
Adrian's eyes grew cold. "She lies! My father does care about me! He cares about all my brothers!"  
  
"She's God, you dumbass, "Ginny snapped. "All good, remember? I don't think She CAN lie."  
  
"Correction, Gin," Darius held up a hand. "She can lie, but She chooses not to. It's not in Her nature."  
  
Adrian rolled his eyes. "Could we not get into a theological debate here?"  
  
"Leave, Adrian. Run home to your father and think about what we said," Darius said suddenly. "Come on, Gin, we have a Wedding to attend." He and Ginny linked arms.  
  
"But," Adrian protested, extending his hands to them pleadingly. "What should I do?"  
  
"That's up to you, Adrian. Choose wisely," Ginny said. Darius and she extended their hands, clasping Adrian's hands firmly, their fingers glowing. They let go reluctantly, turned and walked back to Stonehenge, Ginny's head resting on Darius's shoulder. Adrian watched them go, his face blank except for a deep longing in his eyes. As soon as they entered the circle, he turned and Apparated.  
  
Ginny and Darius walked back through the stones together. Severus and Laurel floated several inches off the ground, gold and silver ribbons swirling around them. Alanna stood behind them, glowing a brilliant white.  
  
"**Do you, Severus Snape, promise to take Laurel Rosethorne as your bonded soul mate, to love, honor and obey, to become one mind, body and soul for all eternity?**"  
  
"I do." Severus's voice carried across the silent circle.  
  
"**Do you, Laurel Rosethorne, take Severus Snape as your bonded soul mate, to love, honor and obey, to become one mind, body and soul for all eternity?**"  
  
"I do," Laurel said proudly, her eyes shining. Behind them, Lily sniffed and wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her scarlet robe. Draco was tearing up, as was Harry. Even James and Lucius couldn't stop sniffing.  
  
"And I thought he'd be a bachelor forever," Lucius muttered, discretely wiping his eyes.  
  
James's only response was a strangled sniff. They both turned to each other and started sobbing openly on each other's shoulders. Narcissa just stared at her husband and patted his back.  
  
"It's all right, Luc," she soothed softly. "Here, have a handkerchief." She pulled out a white handkerchief and handed it to her sobbing husband.  
  
"**Then join minds fully and repeat after me: I take thee, Laurel or Severus, as my bondsmate. When apart we are never parted, one mind, one body and one soul for all eternity.**"  
  
The glow around Severus and Laurel intensified into a blinding light. "I take thee, Laurel/Severus," they chanted, their voices thundering, "as my bondsmate. When apart we are never parted, one mind, one body and one soul for all eternity."  
  
"**SO WITNESSED, SO MOTE IT BE!**" Alanna's and Mother's voices boomed through the stones. An enormous wind whipped up and the blinding light around Severus and Laurel exploded outwards. The shields flared to life again, directing the blast up and away from the guests.  
  
As soon as the light had dissipated, Severus and Laurel turned to each other, smiling.  
  
"**You may now kiss your bondsmate,**" Alanna and Mother remarked drolly, chuckling softly.  
  
The sun set over the horizon as Severus and Laurel kissed, bathing them in brilliant oranges, purples, and reds.  
  
Twenty minutes later, everyone was back at Potter Manor for dinner and cake. After an hour of playing host, Severus and Laurel had had enough of waiting.  
  
"Lily, would it be horrible if we took off?" Severus asked his sister quietly over a glass of champagne.  
  
Lily grinned. "Not at all. Get out of here, you two. Have fun and stay safe, all right?"  
  
Severus grinned, relieved. "Thanks, Sis. You're the best."  
  
He stopped by Harry and Draco, who were slowly dancing in the hallway. "We're going to head out now," he said, putting a hand on each of their shoulders.  
  
They turned and hugged him. "Have fun, Uncle Sev," Harry said softly, grinning.  
  
"Don't do anything stupid," Draco admonished, shaking his finger.  
  
Severus mock sneered. "Isn't that MY line?" he asked dryly.  
  
"Get out of here!" Harry and Draco made shooing motions.  
  
"All right, all right," Severus grumbled good naturedly. He Apparated next to Laurel. "Are you ready?" Lucius and Narcissa grinned.  
  
She grinned, relieved. "Thank God. I thought we'd NEVER get out of here."  
  
Without any warning, they Apparated. Harry, Draco, Lily, Lucius and Narcissa stared at the place where they had stood with enormous grins.  
  
Harry and Draco looked at each other and stepped back, Apparating as well. They appeared in their bedroom, wearing identical grins. Harry turned and hugged Draco.  
  
"How long until they miss us?" Draco asked, his voice muffled.  
  
"I have no idea, but all that energy they put off made me horny."  
  
Draco turned and gave Harry a searing kiss. "I know, me too. That is so wrong!"  
  
"Severus is our Uncle!" Harry sniggered. Draco reached around and caressed his bottom and he gasped. "Oh well, what the hell."  
  
They tumbled into bed, any misgivings gone.  
  
Downstairs, the guests started to leave, the energy affecting them as well. Once everyone had gone, Lily, James, the demigods, Sirius and Remus had the same idea and retreated to their rooms.  
  
  
  
A/N: Okie dokie, Laurel. Hee hee! Severus was stoned, Severus was stoned! Ok, I'm off my medications and happy happy joy joy! WHOOHOOO THE WARPED TOUR IS THIS WEEKEND AND OZZFEST IS IN THREE WEEKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, I get to go to the concerts! Chapter 3 won't be out before July 26th... actually, I probably won't start typing until then. I have a 4-5 pg paper due Monday! And then, I'm done with classes!!!!! And then, On to Paramedics School!!!!! And chapters will not be done every couple days like the other book. The Paramedics school is almost 1000 hours, 500 of which are clinical and ambulance hours. I'll probably get one out a week. Sorry, letting you know. This is gonna be an intense class.  
  
B/N: And I would like to apologize for us not having this one out sooner; there was some big crap going down over here. But it's all good now, and the story is back on. And be sure to take a looky at Laura's other stories, because they rock mountains (as opposed to biting monkeys)! Have fun with it! Xoxoxox, Annie. 


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Well, I'm done with my summer classes, with an A average, I might add. Yay for me! On to Paramedics school! To the nice people who asked, my mommy is doing fine. She says thanks for thinking of her. This chapter was really hard to start. I spent almost four days just staring at the computer screen, wondering what the hell I was going to type. Obviously, I did type, and nineteen pages, too. Thank you for all the lovely reviews. To the lovely people who found my story within the last two weeks and read it straight through, does it make sense as a straight shot story? I had a review that said it didn't, and I spent several months agonizing over it, before thinking that that person was insane.  
  
Thank you to everyone else who read and reviewed, and maybe just read. It's nice to be appreciated. Here's the next chapter, enough of my talking already!  
  
Chapter 3  
  
The next morning, Harry and Draco Apparated to Snape Manor to check up on things while Severus and Laurel were away. They appeared in the foyer of a brightly lit, airy room. Draco immediately ran through the vast, neutral colored formal room, calling for someone named 'Frodo'. He returned with a small house elf.  
  
"Frodo?" Harry asked as his eyebrows rose.  
  
"Uncle Sev's mother had a thing for Tolkein," Draco muttered.  
  
Harry nodded, and then looked thoughtful. "A Muggle author? I thought they were from a long line of Purebloods..."  
  
Draco rolled his eyes. "Not all of us despise Muggles, especially an author as good as he was. Now, Frodo, is everything all right?" Draco asked, producing a parchment and a quill. "Do you or Sam need anything here? How is Rosie?"  
  
"Master Draco, we are fine. Sam and Rosie are doing fine as well. Master Severus made sure we had everything we would need before we left. He said you would stop by every couple of days."  
  
Harry and Draco nodded. Draco put the parchment away. "If you need anything," he said.  
  
"We'll come find you or Master Harry," Frodo said with a wide smile. He bowed and showed them out.  
  
  
  
A week after Severus's wedding; Ginny woke up, in her 'other bedroom', the one in Potter Manor. She stretched, kicking off the light blanket and toeing her way into her fluffy black bunny slippers. _This is the life,_ she thought happily, padding out of her room and down the hall to the bathroom.  
  
Forty wonderful minutes later, she sauntered from the bathroom, dressed to kill in a black and silver tube top, black flare jeans and her trench coat, plus the jewelry Draco gave her for her birthday. She immediately ran into Darius, who was waiting against the wall, similarly clad in dark jeans, a black tee shirt, and trench coat, complete with spiked bracelets and a choker.  
  
_Are you ready?_ he asked, suddenly nervous. He clenched his fists and forced himself to relax.  
  
She gave a shaky grin and nodded, clutching his hand. They Apparated straight into Muggle London, Queens Court, the shopping mall where Claudette had her store. They walked to the food court on the first level and walked over to Baskin Robbins, buying an ice cream sundae. They sat down at a four seater table and started eating quietly. A shadow loomed over them, and Darius looked up. "Hello."  
  
A teenage version of Adrian, clad in black leather pants, a leather trench coat, multiple piercings, and a black mesh shirt, pulled up a chair and sat down backwards on it. "Hi." He absently ran a hand through his black hair with silver streaks in the front. "How are you two doing?"  
  
"We're good, and you?" Ginny pushed over the barely touched sundae and summoned a spoon, handing it to the Prince of Hell. She started to giggle quietly, shaking her head in disbelief.  
  
Adrian and Darius looked at her strangely. "What's so funny?" Adrian asked in an undertone.  
  
"You're the Prince of Hell, and we're having ice cream with you, in a Muggle Mall, and pretending this is NORMAL!" she gasped, holding her sides. Darius started chuckling. Adrian scowled.  
  
"Yes, well, can we get out of here?" Adrian asked with a sneer. "I don't think you want your mother finding you here with me. She'll kill me and make you wish you were dead."  
  
Darius blanched and stood up abruptly, Ginny following suit. They quickly finished the ice cream and dumped the bowl in the nearest trash can. Without a word, the three of them strode from the mall and out into one of the deserted service bays, Apparating half way across the world to New York City.  
  
"Oh, wow," Ginny exclaimed, standing on the sidewalk of Fifth Avenue, surrounded by millions of Muggles, witches and wizards going about their business. "I've never seen so many people."  
  
Adrian and Darius shrugged. "You get used to it." Adrian said with a sigh. "Where to? Coney Island is fun." Ginny just nodded, still staring around with undisguised wonder at the skyscrapers, cars, and airplanes that flooded her vision.  
  
Adrian led his two soul mates into a secluded alleyway and Apparated them to the amusement park. They spent the whole day riding roller coasters and playing games, wandering around the amusement park and having fun. Once, Adrian tried his luck at the basketball game and promptly won a six foot long stuffed dragon, which he turned over to Ginny with a blush. Ginny grinned as she wound the dragon's tail around her neck, carrying the body over her shoulders.  
  
Darius, not to be outdone, spent five dollars on the ring toss and won a tiger just as large and carried it around the park with pride. Adrian eyed the tiger for an hour, through roller coaster rides and eating dinner, pouting slightly.  
  
"What?" Darius asked curiously, finally noticing that Adrian was sulking.  
  
"That's a really nice tiger," Adrian said with a sigh. "I like tigers..."  
  
"And..." Ginny prompted. Adrian pouted and walked ahead of his soul mates, unsure of how to go about getting the tiger he wanted so badly.  
  
"Aww," Darius snickered. With a grin, he walked up behind Adrian and hugged him, passing the tiger over. "It looks better on you," he said with a laugh, his four inch fangs glinting in the reddish light of the sunset.  
  
Adrian's eyes widened. "Thanks... Darius," he said, petting the tiger gently with his painted black finger nails.  
  
Ginny grinned and dragged them off to yet another game. The two guys groaned and followed her.  
  
  
  
It was well past midnight when Ginny and Darius finally Apparated home to Potter Manor, dragging the dragon, a two foot wolf, various small stuffed animals, and a four foot frog through the front hall, trying to walk, well, stagger as quietly as possible. Harry, Draco, Lily, James, Alanna, Claudette, Lucas and Xander stood in the stairs with their arms crossed, watching them intently.  
  
Ginny and Darius shushed each other several times, giggling softly as they pulled the stuffed animals across the floor. "Quiet, you dork!" Ginny whispered, trying not to fall over. "They'll hear us!"  
  
"You're making all the noise, dumb nut!" Darius hissed, snickering softly. He stumbled and sat down, holding his head.  
  
"Ahem." Claudette finally had had enough and she cleared her throat. The two teenagers jumped almost through the roof, shock and dismay written all over their faces.  
  
"Hey... Alanna! Xander!" Ginny stared up the stairs at the waiting people. "Harry, Draco, Lily, James, what are you doing still up?"  
  
"Mum, Dad," Darius managed to say, his face flaming red. "What's up?"  
  
"Apparently, you two," Claudette hissed, her fangs jutting through her lips. Beside her, Lucas bared his fangs, his eyes burning crimson. "Where were you?"  
  
"Mum, Dad, we can explain," Darius pleaded.  
  
"We went to an amusement park!" Ginny said quickly, holding up the frog by one of its hind legs.  
  
"We can see that," Alanna said coldly. "Explain what you were doing in a Muggle Theme Park in New York City with the Prince of Hell."  
  
"WHAT??" Ginny and Darius yelled, their faces pale.  
  
"I repeat, what were you two doing with Adrian first at Queens Court and then at Coney Island?" Xander asked, his eyes narrowed.  
  
"Ummm, oh shit," Ginny muttered, staring at her eight official and unofficial family members.  
  
"Oh shit is right," Lily said with a smirk. "You come home at midnight, dragging stuffed animals and the youngest Prince of the Vampire Drow Nation, having spent the whole day in the company of the second most dangerous being in the universe. Add to that, you both," Lily sniffed the air delicately, "have been drinking."  
  
Ginny sat down with a muted thump and started giggling. "Well, we had fun! He's fun! Fun, fun, fun!" she half sang, swaying slightly.  
  
Darius lost it completely and lay on the ground, rolling with laughter. "We're caught!" he snickered, gasping for breath.  
  
Claudette stormed down the stairs and grabbed her son's shoulder. "You are in for a world of hurt, young man," she hissed.  
  
Darius just stared up at his mother uncomprehendingly before falling over with a very undignified giggle. Claudette and Lucas just glared at him with disgust before hauling him upright and Apparating him to their rooms.  
  
Harry and Draco, having been silent throughout the entire exchange, picked Ginny up and Apparated her to her room and tucked her into bed.  
  
"Mmmh, you two aren't mad at me, are you?" Ginny asked sleepily.  
  
Harry and Draco looked at each other with matching smirks. "Nope," Harry said quietly. "How is he? You do realize that if he hurts you, we'll have to be protective older brothers and kick his ass, right?"  
  
"You'll have to get in line," Ginny yawned. "Ron, Charlie, the Twins, and Bill will want a piece too. But he won't hurt me- us. He can't. He's rather sweet, really." She yawned again and rolled onto her side. "G'night," she muttered, closing her eyes.  
  
Harry and Draco Apparated out of her rooms and into the enormous study, where the other six people were waiting. "I can't believe this!" James burst out. "What were they thinking??"  
  
"That he is their soul mate and that, regardless of who he is, they are drawn to him and safer in his presence than at any other time?" Draco drawled, crossing his arms. Harry sat down on the overstuffed couch and pulled Draco onto his lap.  
  
"What?" Claudette snapped. "I don't want Darius having anything to do with him! In case you forgot, he's Clautius's Heir!"  
  
"He's their soul mate, first and foremost," Draco announced to the entire room.  
  
Alanna, Xander, Claudette and Lucas scowled at him.  
  
"I think they should be allowed to go to public places together," Harry said with a smirk.  
  
Claudette raised her eyebrows. "You're sixteen, Mr. Potter. What gives you the right to say that?"  
  
"If Draco and I accompany them, they'll be fine!" Harry protested.  
  
"Yeah. We're more powerful than he could ever hope to be. We could make sure nothing bad happens," Draco said with a shrug.  
  
"You're missing the point," Claudette hissed. "I do not want my son associating with that monster!!"  
  
Alanna winced.  
  
  
  
"Where have you been?" Clautius asked, standing next to Adrian.  
  
"Out and about," Adrian replied cautiously. "Why?"  
  
"You've been drinking an Earth drink, an alcoholic one at that," Clautius accused. "And the humans McNair and Parkinson saw you in the company of that infuriating red headed demon on their side. What were you thinking?"  
  
Adrian turned around, his eyes blazing. "I was thinking that I've been alive for almost three millennia, Father. I have the right to make my own decisions and pursue relationships! Besides, she's powerful and funny and I like her!"  
  
Clautius's eyes narrowed. "You don't have time for this! We have to attack and devote all our strength to getting rid of my infuriating kin!"  
  
Adrian turned back around. _Why?_ He silently asked himself, shielding his thoughts so his father couldn't hear. _Why must we do this? She's nice and funny and he's the same, so why do we have to destroy everything? Why does Father hate Alanna, Xander, and the others so much? I don't understand. What did they do?_ He walked away from his father, his mind reeling.  
  
"ADRIAN!!" Clautius bellowed Apparating in front of his son. "Don't you DARE walk away from me!"  
  
"Or what?" Adrian asked, his eyes narrowing. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm no longer a child. I do not have to listen to you and follow your rules any more. If you cannot understand that, then, perhaps it is time for me to leave."  
  
"WHAT???" Clautius bellowed. "What the HELL is wrong with you?? You've NEVER acted like this! It's this girl! I forbid you to see her!"  
  
Adrian coolly stared at his father. "You don't understand. She's mine. You cannot tell me what to do." _So help me, God, if you try to hurt her I'll rip you apart piece by piece_.  
  
Clautius's eyes widened. "Soul mate?"  
  
"Yes. You cannot order me on this one, Father." _And as long as he doesn't know about Darius, Darius is safe. It's too bad they saw Ginny, though. I don't want anything to happen to her.  
_  
Clautius's eyes narrowed and he smiled evilly. "I think we can deal with this," he purred, pacing back and forth. Abruptly, he stopped. "Yes. This will work."  
  
"What?" Adrian asked, his heart sinking.  
  
"Don't worry, my Heir," Clautius grinned. "You'll have your soul mate, and I'll have my revenge."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Don't worry about it. I'll bring her to us."  
  
_ Oh, hell. This could be bad.  
  
_  
  
"I don't care that he's their soul mate!" Lucas yelled at Draco. "My son will NOT be associating with him!"  
  
Harry sighed and checked his watch. "Look, we've been at this for two hours. It's simple. You cannot keep them from each other. They are soul mates. That defies familial ties. That defies everything, good versus bad, light versus dark, everything."  
  
"But-" Claudette sputtered.  
  
Lily smirked. "Do you really think we were thrilled when we found out that Harry was soul bound to a Malfoy? Our families have been at each other's throats for the better part of five centuries."  
  
"Hey!" Draco pouted. "I'm not my family, and Father threw a fit when he found out it was Harry. I think he's homophobic."  
  
"Exactly my point." Lily grinned at Draco. "We accept that Harry is bound to our family enemy because there's not much we can do about it. They would still be soul mates, no matter what we did. Lucius and Narcissa accept it, too, because they have no choice."  
  
"Actually, there is the matter of Merlin's Fortune," Harry put in with a smirk.  
  
Claudette threw up her hands, "Has everyone gone insane? He's the Prince of Hell!"  
  
"We know that," Alanna said with a sigh. "We've been over this for hours already. Let's go to sleep and discuss this in the morning, with Ginny and Darius present."  
  
"Fine." Claudette stalked from the room, Lucas following. Harry and Draco sighed, Apparating. Lily and James left as well, leaving Alanna and Xander alone.  
  
With a sigh of defeat, Alanna rested her forehead on the windowpane, gazing out at the brilliant stars. Xander slid behind her and rested his chin of her head.  
  
"Lana, you can't beat yourself up about this. He's a grown man, and will make his own decisions." He wrapped his arms around her.  
  
She turned, sighing, and rested her forehead on his shoulder. "I can't help it, Xander. Regardless of who his father is, he's still someone I care about. I can't stop, and I can't help feeling that, if he were to just know what Clautius is really doing and how horrible it is, that he would give it up in a heartbeat."  
  
"But he's been raised to be pure evil, Lana. He has never questioned his upbringing."  
  
"We don't know that! He could be questioning all the time and, I think if he hasn't he will start, because of who his soul mates are. Ginny is a wonderful girl. Darius we don't know as well, but if he's Ginny's other soul mate, he's gotta be a wonderful kid as well. I think this situation is the best for him."  
  
Xander rolled his eyes. "You are entirely too optimistic and forgiving, Love. He turned you over to his father without a second's hesitation."  
  
"Not true." Xander looked at her sharply. "Two weeks before it was to happen, he told me to leave and never come back. He tried to make me leave, but I wouldn't. He tried to save me."  
  
"If he really wanted to save you," Xander said, cradling her face in his hands, "he would have said something other than, 'leave and never come back, this was a mistake.' He would have told you."  
  
"Can we not argue about this?" Alanna asked, blinking tears from her eyes. "I still love him, even though he betrayed me like that. You cannot stop loving someone so important to you just like that. And, no matter what he does, when he finally realizes that Clautius is wrong, he can always come to me."  
  
"Fine. Let's go to bed," Xander said with a sigh. Turning, they Apparated.  
  
  
  
The next morning, it began again, this time with Ginny and Darius present.  
  
"MOTHER!!" Darius yelled. "You cannot change who my soul mate is!! He is my soul mate!!! He isn't going to change his identity, no matter how hard you wish and you will just have to accept that!!!"  
  
"Darius, I refuse to allow you to see him!!" Claudette yelled.  
  
Lucas just rolled his eyes, as did Harry, Draco, Lily, James and Alanna. Xander got up and left the dining hall, grumbling about broken records.  
  
Ginny and Darius stormed from the hall, Draco and Harry following them.  
  
"DON'T YOU WALK AWAY FROM ME, YOUNG MAN!!!" Claudette yelled at the top of her lungs.  
  
"Mother," Darius turned around. "Mother, I love you and respect you. But, this is my life. I am seventeen, a legal adult. You cannot fight me on this. Ginny isn't having this problem-"  
  
"Because her parents don't know," Draco muttered. Harry snickered.  
  
"And I wish you would leave me alone about this. Adrian has not hurt us, nor will he. He can't."  
  
Claudette scowled. Harry shook his head. "Come on, Darius, Ginny, he's expecting you. Let's go."  
  
Darius and Ginny joined hands, Harry and Draco standing behind them. They Apparated to Queens Court, just like before. Harry and Draco walked off to Baskin Robbins for waffle cones. When they came back, Ginny and Darius were seated at a table with Adrian, talking quietly.  
  
"Hello!" Harry said brightly, grinning at the three of them. Ginny immediately absconded with his chocolate chocolate chip ice cream cone and sat down, licking the ice cream with relish. Harry frowned. "Get your own."  
  
"I just did." Ginny smiled impishly up at him. Harry scowled down at her while Darius chuckled and Adrian stared at her incredulously.  
  
"Are you going to let her get away with that?" Adrian asked, shocked.  
  
Harry shook his head and walked off, returning a few minutes later with another ice cream cone. Draco snickered when Ginny eyed the new cone. "Down, girl," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You got the last one and he gets cranky when he's ice cream deprived." She turned around and eyed Draco's, cherry cheesecake, hungrily. "Stay away!" laughing, he pushed her a few inches away from his cone.  
  
Harry scowled and guarded the ice cream, glaring at his sister. Darius and Adrian stood and walked off, returning with shakes. Ginny pouted at Darius and Adrian until they relented, sharing the shakes with a sigh.  
  
"Is she always like this?" Adrian asked to no one in particular.  
  
"No, worse!" Harry, Darius and Draco responded. Ginny pouted.  
  
"Come on," Harry gestured. "The movie's starting soon."  
  
"Movie?" Draco, Ginny and Darius asked in unison. "What's that?"  
  
Adrian and Harry smirked. "They have a lot to learn," Harry said casually.  
  
"Indeed. May I ask, who knows they are here?" Adrian asked curiously. "And why are you and your soul mate here?"  
  
"Oh, we all know, now," Harry said with a wave of his hand. "We caught them coming in last night, drunk as hell. Total reminder of the Yule Ball, and the Halloween Party, and New Years and... I'm sensing a pattern here. Damn it, Draco, we get plastered fairly often!"  
  
Adrian let out a snort of laughter, his eyes dancing. "I TOLD them drinking was a bad idea," he said, shaking his head in amusement.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Ginny demanded. "You bought it, and drank most of it!"  
  
Harry and Draco snickered. "I don't know what the hell Claudette was complaining about, Harry," Draco drawled. "Adrian is pretty cool. I think we're going to get along fabulously."  
  
"Besides, if you were really this bad guy, you wouldn't have pouted for the tiger, you would have flambéed us," Ginny said brightly.  
  
"What?" Draco sputtered. Adrian's eyes widened comically.  
  
"Yeah. I'm Adrian. Darius, pretend you have the tiger!" Ginny said, laughing.  
  
Darius grinned and held up an imaginary tiger. "Ok, this tiger is, like, huge. It's almost as big as I am, and I have it on my shoulders, like this." He pantomimed, holding the tiger, and Harry and Draco started to snicker.  
  
Ginny walked around Darius, pouting, eyeing the 'tiger' pleadingly. Darius ignored her, which made the guys, with the exception of Adrian, laugh even harder. She pouted and pouted and pouted before breaking character. "Ok, fast forward an hour," she said brightly, and them resumed pouting.  
  
Darius finally looked at her. "What?"  
  
"I like tigers," she trailed off hopefully.  
  
"And?" Darius prompted. She just walked off, still pouting. Darius finally relented, handing over the tiger.  
  
"See, he's a total sweetie. If he were really mean, he would have been like- DIE YOU PATHETIC SCUM!!! THE TIGER IS MINE!!! Mwahahahahahaha!"  
  
Draco stared at his sister before feeling her forehead. "She isn't feverish. Are you sure you're feeling all right, Gin?"  
  
Adrian and Harry just eyed her suspiciously. "It sounds like you have practice being the evil witch," Adrian said with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"I have eight brothers," Ginny said off handedly.  
  
"That explains everything," Darius muttered. Adrian just nodded.  
  
"Anyway," Harry continued. "We're here as official chaperones, because Claudette got her panties in a twist about you. So, we're here just in case. Which means," he held up his hands in a placating manner as Adrian was almost smoking at the ears, "that we'll go one way and you'll go the other and meet back up in about four hours, ok?"  
  
Adrian slowly grinned. "That's all right. Stay. I think I actually like you guys."  
  
"Don't sound so surprised," Draco teased with a grin. "Hey, Harry, make the people pass out again."  
  
"How?" Like this?" he put on his best smoldering look and aimed it at the nearest group of teenage girls. Three of the seven dropped into faints, two walked into walls, one had no reaction, while the last, the bravest, sauntered over.  
  
"Hey, gorgeous," she purred, shaking her wavy ebony hair out of her face and winking one cerulean eye. Draco's face paled.  
  
Harry smirked. "Hey." He and the unknown girl walked off about fifty feet, talking for several minutes.  
  
Adrian doubled over, laughing. Draco elbowed him. "Don't encourage him!" Adrian, Darius and Ginny were just about rolling on the floor with hysterical laughter.  
  
Draco was itching to hex the girl staring at his soul mate so adoringly. _That is so fucking cheap! What an obvious bitch- quit touching his hair! My territory! Bad girl! Bad girl! I'm gonna set you on fire, you stupid whore! Get AWAY from him!!!!  
_  
_Your fault, you know,_ Ginny remarked with a smirk. Draco whipped around and gave her the Malfoy Death Glare ™. _It is.  
_  
_It is not! I told him to make them pass out, not come on to him!_ Draco protested. Adrian sagged against the wall, howling with laughter. Darius hung onto Ginny, his legs no longer able to support his weight.  
  
At last, Harry and the girl separated. She was pouting slightly, and Harry was smirking. As she passed Draco, she looked him over appreciatively. "You lucky bastard," she said, licking her lips. "Oh, Harry was it, if you have a cute brother or cousin or something, let me know."  
  
Harry grinned. _Dudley? Hmmm._ Beside him, Ginny's eyes widened.  
  
_ Harry, that would work. He can't marry a witch or else his kids will be squibs. Besides, now that he's slimmed up, he's pretty handsome.  
  
Sounds like a plan._ "You gave me your number, right, Amanda?"  
  
The girl, Amanda, nodded. Harry continued, "I have a cousin named Dudley. I could hook you two up..."  
  
Amanda grinned. "Sounds lovely. Bye, Harry." She ran off to catch up with her friends  
  
"Bye!"  
  
Draco scowled at Harry. "What was that all about??"  
  
Harry grinned. "Well, after I told her that I was currently in a relationship with that simply gorgeous blond over there, not much. Oh, and Dudley is gonna get a girlfriend. Did you know her eyes are naturally that color?"  
  
Draco sulked, leading to another round of laughter.  
  
"What? What did I do?" Harry asked, completely confused. "Oh, come on, Draco, it's not like we're married- well, it is, but I don't see a wedding ring on my hand, or yours for that matter."  
  
"I'll deny it if you quote me, but I'm actually having fun!" Adrian said, amazed.  
  
_Hmmm._ Draco stayed silent for a while, thinking. _That would be interesting. Married.  
_  
  
  
"Hello, Evans residence."  
  
"Aunt Petunia? It's Harry. Is Dudley there?"  
  
"Hi Harry! How are you, sweetie! I didn't know you guys had a phone!"  
  
"Well, how else would we call you? We're excellent. Mum and Dad are fine, and Gareth is growing steadily. He's rolling around now."  
  
"That's wonderful! Oh, hang on, here's Dudley."  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Dudley?"  
  
"Yeah, is this Harry?"  
  
"Yeah. Listen, what are you doing on Friday?"  
  
"Ummm... Nothing planned. Why?"  
  
"Come to Queens Court. There's someone I want you to meet."  
  
"What??"  
  
"Her name's Amanda. She's really nice, and you know I don't swing that way."  
  
Dead silence.  
  
"Dudley? Dudley.... Duddikins!!!!"  
  
"Don't call me that, Poofter."  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"I had to ask my Mum. She said yes. I assume we're Apparating?"  
  
"Or, Thursday, you and Aunt Petunia could come over here. Either way."  
  
"Cool! Hang on, Harry!"  
  
"Dum dee dum dum..."  
  
"She says we can come over Thursday. Are you sure it's all right?"  
  
"Yeah, I already asked. Besides, we still have Claudette and Lucas here. They're busy planning with Alanna and Xander."  
  
"Sounds good. I'll see you Thursday, then."  
  
"Bye Dudley."  
  
"Bye."  
  
  
  
Thursday afternoon, Dudley Apparated with his mother to Potter Manor. Everyone immediately took off on brooms, racing around the Manor and the surrounding grounds, playing a pickup game of Quidditch, Tag, and just swooping around, having a good time.  
  
Harry and Draco, in a moment of either insanity or creativity, sprouted wings from their backs and let go of their brooms. With a thought, they sent the brooms to the ground and lazily flapped around the Manor, racing the others on their brooms and losing miserably.  
  
They kept their wings throughout dinner, to the consternation and amusement of everyone at the table, and, once dinner was over, disappeared back outside. "You know," Harry said conversationally, once they were in flying over the seventy acres of forest on the Potter grounds, "we never did get to try it in midair like we wanted to."  
  
Draco smirked and reached for him, weaving invisibility spells upon silencing spells on the air around them. "I guess we'll have to fix that."  
  
Friday, they left once again in the morning, intent on the mall. Ginny and Darius headed for their usual meeting place with Adrian, while Harry went off in search of Amanda. He found her- getting kicked out of Abercrombie and Fitch for making loud, off color, obnoxious remarks about the type of people who shop there.  
  
"That looks like fun," he said with a grin, helping her stand up. The sales assistant glared at them and he flipped her the bird before grabbing Amanda's hand and hauling her off. "What exactly did you say to them?"  
  
"Nothing but the truth- that they're a bunch of stuck up, geeky freaks, in more colorful language, of course." Amanda brushed her black jeans off and straightened her blue Happy Bunny tee shirt angrily. "So, where's this hunky cousin?"  
  
Harry grinned and spotted Dudley trying to eat a rapidly melting ice cream cone. "Ummm, see the one with the chocolate dripping down his hand? Yeah."  
  
She started giggling. Dudley heard her and locked eyes with Harry, his face turning bright pink. He straightened up, and with as much dignity as he could salvage, threw the ice cream away and sprinted for the bathroom.  
  
"That's Dudley," Harry said faintly.  
  
"He's so...cute and.... muscular," she said with a smirk. "I especially liked the brown around his mouth. That is so attractive."  
  
"It gets better, I hope," he muttered under his breath.  
  
Ginny, Darius and Adrian walked up. "Hey, Amanda, was it?" Darius asked.  
  
"Did you see Dudley?" Ginny asked with a smirk. Harry watched as a much cleaner cousin of his walked from the bathroom, his face still stained red.  
  
"Hang on." Harry walked over and led Dudley away. "Ok, are you all right?" he asked, biting the inside of his cheek.  
  
"Yeah, that was really bad, wasn't it?" Dudley asked, chewing his lower lip.  
  
"Yeah, but it's salvageable. She thinks you're cute," Harry offered helpfully. "And muscular."  
  
"Really?" Dudley perked up considerably. "That's good, right?"  
  
Harry brought Dudley over to the group. "Amanda, this is my cousin, Dudley. Dudley, Amanda."  
  
Ginny elbowed Adrian. "Ten Galleons says she runs off screaming within an hour."  
  
"You're on."  
  
An hour later, Ginny was out of ten Galleons and Dudley had a new girlfriend named Amanda, Mandy for short.  
  
  
  
_"Find her, her name is Alanna. You will know her because she will be the most powerful being, other than myself or you, which you have ever felt. You are to put yourself into a position where she trusts you. Once you have done so, I will come to you."  
  
"Yes, Father." He bowed and departed, his mind whirling._ Who is this woman? Why is she so important? Why does Father want her so much?  
  
_ Three years later, he sat in a grimy drinking hall, swinging back ale as if his life depended on it. _Three years, and not a trace, _he thought ruefully._ Three long years of searching. And, I can't use my powers,_ Father's orders. _She'll recognize me as evil if I do so._ And then, it hit him like a warm summer's breeze, like the calm after a hurricane. He turned around slowly, and there she stood, serving ale to the man next to him.  
  
_ Oh, cripe, what do I do? How do I go about introducing myself?_ He needn't have worried.  
  
"Hello, you aren't from around here, are you? I'm Alanna." her voice washed over him, caressed him gently, lovingly. Her power flowed over him, soothing his tired, aching body, curing him of all his ills.  
  
_ Home. That's what her voice feels like. Home._ "I'm Adrian, and no, I've been traveling. This has been one of many stops."  
  
"Well, Adrian, maybe it'll be your last." He left a year after, for a short journey to a metal smith for wedding rings.  
  
They were wed on Midsummer's Day as the sun rose, pledging their vows of faithfulness and love. Two years later, two years of pure joy and peace, years during which Adrian felt normal and free and alive, their twins, Morgrainne, or Morgan for short, and tiny Mearlein entered their lives. Clautius didn't contact him once and he grew fearful, worried as the years passed.  
  
He began to dream of running away, of leaving and never coming back, of taking to his ships once again to keep this woman, this jewel safe._ She's the one person I love, the only person I trust, and she should have been the mother I never had,_ he thought one night, watching as Alanna nursed seven year old Mearlein, sick with a fever, back to health._ No one has EVER treated me with such love and devotion as this woman right here.  
  
I can't hurt her. She's too precious, too pure,_ he vowed. Twelve years had gone by, his children were eleven years of age, and already incredibly strong in the ways of magic.  
  
Clautius finally came, appearing in the middle of his home one morning while Alanna was out at the market and the children were off playing God knows where. "Well? Where is she? Have you found her?"  
  
"Yes, Father," he said, his heart sinking. "I found her."  
  
"Well? Does she trust you?" Black clouds rolled across the sky and thunder rumbled in the distance.  
  
"She trusts me enough." His heart shattered at that statement. "One month and she will be yours."  
  
That night, he prayed to all the gods in heaven, to his father's rivals and his father's soul mate. "Please, Mother, you are everyone's mother, please help me. I can't go against my father. I can't. I haven't been able to for the millennium I've been alive, but I can't hurt her. She's wonderful." He watched as his wife, the woman he vowed before God and man to protect, lay sleeping in their simple bed, in their simple house and he prayed.  
  
A week later, he had made up his mind. He couldn't leave, because his father knew where he was. He would have to make Alanna leave.  
  
The next morning, he tried. Mother help him, he tried. "Leave! Marrying you was a mistake! I dissolve our marriage! Leave this house and NEVER come back!!!" he had shouted, raged at her. He ordered her to leave, to take the children, his children, and run, go anywhere but there. He couldn't tell her, but he had to make her leave. He raged, she cried. He yelled, she yelled right back.  
  
"I won't leave!" she shouted at him. "This is my home! You are my husband! I won't leave you!" He longed to scream that it wasn't safe for her, but he couldn't put it into words. Finally, he stormed out, furious.  
  
_ If she won't leave than she deserves what she gets, _he thought savagely, instantly regretting it._ No she doesn't and you're a sick, evil fuck up for even thinking it,_ he berated himself.  
  
He stopped eating, sick with worry. He and Alanna hadn't spoken, and it was eating at him like cancer. A week passed, and he longed to drug her and the children and put them on a ship far, far away.  
  
That fateful day, the day his heart broke forever, he was at home, with his family, for the last time. Alanna sat in the corner, combing Morgrainne's pale gold hair while she sang an ancient ballad. Mearlein sat in the corner, weaving elemental magic to amuse himself as he listened to his mother's sweet soprano.  
  
BOOM. The door blew in, and Clautius appeared. Alanna's face turned a sickly yellow color and Adrian's eyes filled with tears.  
  
"My son, you have done well," his father said coldly, surveying his family.  
  
My Family! NO! I can't hurt them I- "Yes, Father." He released the hold on his magic, and Alanna's head whipped around. An expression of wonder crossed her face before being replaced with agony and finally cold. Coldness directed towards her husband.  
  
"Clautius," she sneered. Adrian almost fell over. In their twelve years together, she had never looked as angry and hateful as she did that day. "You can't do your own dirty work, so you must recruit others, others who have no idea what they are doing. How pathetic, older brother."  
  
"Adrian, take her back to our realm." Clautius ordered. He hesitated and Clautius raised an eyebrow. "Do it, boy."  
  
The center of the room burst into flames, and a man stepped out. "Clautius," he growled. With a wave of his hand, he sent Adrian into and through the wall, before taking Alanna in his arms. "Love, I think we should end this one," he said with a fond smile.  
  
Adrian staggered back into his house just in time to see his wife in the arms of another man before they shimmered and disappeared.  
  
"NO!!!!!" Clautius screamed. Lightning crashed through the sky, striking the town where they had lived for over a decade. Everyone died instantly.  
  
"Do what you want with the brats," Clautius ordered tersely. "I couldn't care less. But we must go back to our realm. They have escaped me again!" He stalked from the house and disappeared.  
  
Mearlein and Morgrainne stared at Adrian fearfully. He bent down. "Well, what do you wish to do? If you come with me, you will have me, but it will be harsh."  
  
Mearlein shook his head. "I am already apprenticed, Father, to the Elves. Take Morgrainne, but not me. I have work here to do and a destiny to fulfill."  
  
Morgrainne nodded solemnly. Adrian leaned his head forward and rested his forehead on hers. "You must forget, dear heart. Forget that your mother was kind and wonderful and everything a mother should be. If you remember, you will never survive in my world."  
  
"Mother will never come back, will she?" Morgrainne asked.  
  
"Hopefully, never. If she does, she will have a fate worse than death."  
  
"You knew," Mearlein accused.  
  
"Yes, and damn me for it. I deserve it." With one last hug goodbye, Mearlein and Morgrainne separated, never to see each other again. Adrian hugged his son and opened his arms for his daughter. With one last look at her younger twin, father and daughter disappeared in a flash of light.  
_  
Adrian bolted awake, cursing mentally. _That damn dream. Can't it give me one night of peace?_ Slowly, he rolled out of bed and padded over to the mortal witch chained to the wall in the corner of his room.  
  
_ I've become my father_; he cursed himself for the second time in as many minutes. Granted, he kept her there as a last resort, and only used her powers if she agreed so his father wouldn't become suspicious of his true feelings, but..._It's time to change. This isn't right.  
_  
With a gently shake of the chain attaching the girl's collar to the wall, she sprang away, her terrified eyes darting back and forth. When she saw who was standing over her, she relaxed imperceptivity. "Do you want to get out of here?" he asked almost silently.  
  
She raised an eyebrow. "Why now?" she asked softly.  
  
"Because I'm growing a backbone," he said with a wry grin.  
  
She shrugged. "You haven't treated me badly like your fathe- uh oh."  
  
Adrian snarled. "What did my father do?" he asked, his voice dangerous.  
  
"If he needed a fix of energy, he's come in here," she said, her eyes distant.  
  
"Are you all right?" he asked, concerned.  
  
She shuddered.  
  
"Right, stupid question. Come on, stand up." With a wave of his hand, he dissolved the chains around her and wrapped a blanket around her small frame. "Wrap your arms around me," he ordered softly, Apparating them both to the only safe place he knew.  
  
  
  
The Apparation wards around Potter Manor shrieked telepathically as they were shredded, jolting everyone in the Manor into wakefulness. Within seconds, everyone had Apparated to the point of intrusion- the Front Hall.  
  
Adrian stood there, his arms around a moving blanket. "Help her," he said softly. "Please. I don't know where else to go. You're the only ones who can protect her."  
  
Alanna walked forward and gently took the bundle from his arms. A young woman, no older than twenty, peered out at her, her eyes hopeful. "How long has she been in your realm?" she asked, staring at the young woman sorrowfully.  
  
"A little over three years, Ma'am," the girl said with a soft Southern Accent.  
  
"Please," Adrian said again, trying to ignore the accusing eyes of his soul mates, before Apparating across the galaxies back to his bedroom. _Please.  
_  
  
  
A/N: Well, that was one of the hardest chapters I have ever had to write, emotionally, that is. The only one harder was the chapter that shows Alanna being taken by Clautius. Both visions and dreams are some of my nightmares, but told from his perspective. It was really hard, but I actually shelled out eleven pages in four hours. Unbelievable. So, I'm sitting here at 12:15 AM, writing this author's note. I finished school, I think I mentioned that. Anyway, this is the first day of true vacation, as the semester ended yesterday. I have two weeks until Paramedics school starts. So, on to chapter four, right?  
  
B/N: Gooey, gluey, glumpy, shlumpy, la la la la la. Sorry, Laura is reading Dr. Seuss to my little sister and it is grating on frazzled nerves... I will not crack, I will not crack, I ... will... not... CRACK!!! O shit, now look what she made me do! Laura! We need to call the psych ward again! Anyway, before they come to get me, the story was awesome, I think- wait... (rereads last sentence)... (labored breathing)... (paling of face)... Noooooooooo!!!!! Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!! You'll never take me alive!!!! Never! Never give up; never surrender! (strikes pose from Braveheart)... (and is tackled by the goons from the Loony Bin) Laura! I don't think I can be a good Beta if I'm stuck with the Squirrels!  
  
A/N: I think that means she's going to the Nut House...  
  
B/N: No shit, Sherlock! (still be dragged away by Evil People from the Secret Organization of Stalkerish Weirdos) Damn you, get your hands off of me! Unhand me you brute! You're all nucking futters! I mean nutting fuckers! I mean... You're all fucking nutters!!!  
  
A/N: Sniff A moment of silence... (5..4..3..2-) Anyways!!!  
  
B/N: D you!!!!!!!!!!! Get me the f out of here!!!!....... O no, they've started censoring me already! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
A/N: OH HELL, MY BETA IS INSANE!!! Oh well. Come on out, Annie! I promise I won't let them take you away like you deserve............... (Holding a straightjacket behind her back.) Here Annie, come here Annie. I have Manga! Good Manga! Come on, I promise you won't be taken away!  
  
B/N: Okay! (smiling veryveryveryveryveryvery brightly) I love Manga! (the eyes in the back of my head decide to wake up and see the straight jacket)... ... ... Yay! New clothes! Ooh, it will go so nicely with my bathing suit! And my electric toothbrush! And my wooden slide!  
  
-For reference, watch Friday Night Stand Up on Comedy Central... see Elvira  
Kurt!  
  
A/N: (holding hand over eyes) hellooo? Is anyone out there? Shit, Annie I think we scared them all off.... Damn it! This is no longer funny. Come back!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!! I promise we won't be quite so insane next time!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
B/N: We? What the Hell are you smoking? **I** will do whatever the Hell I so wish to do at the time...  
  
READERS: We want the truth!!!  
  
B/N: You can't handle the truth!!!..... Sorry, I've always wanted to say that... Okay, I'm done now... Bye!  
  
A/N: This is ridiculous. Anyway, please don't flame us for this bout of insanity. I promise we'll get her meds adjusted. Ta ta!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Like I said, on to chapter 4! This is now nine hours after I finished the last chapter. As I type this, I'm still rereading the other chapter and editing mistakes or adding sentences or changing the wording. It's weird, but it works. Anyway, I probably should stop chatting with you people and get to writing. Thanks for the reviews, everyone!

To Murray the Leprechaun: Good job on the fics! EVERYONE!! READ MURRAY'S FICS!!!! I haven't read them yet, so I can't say anything, but... yeah. Read them.

Oh, and to Lady Reaper of the Shadows, thanks for the idea about that song. I hadn't heard that before, and Annie liked the song so much it's now her theme song. She listens to it thirty times in like three hours. ;P

Oh, and Jungle Law, sequel to Lesser of Two Evils is on a so far hiatus, as I got five pages in and couldn't think of anything to write. I'm stuck. But, I'll be working on this fic, plus a few other ideas I had, two being original fiction, and then probably take a look at LOTE, rework it because I didn't like some things, and then continue, once I get the inspiration, that is.

Anyway, on to the story!

Chapter 4

Alanna stared at the place where Adrian had just stood before gently picking up the girl. "It's all right, you're safe here, he can't hurt you any more," she murmured.

The girl looked at her strangely. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Excuse me?" Xander asked. Claudette and Lucas crowded in closer, anxious to hear what was going on.

The girl pushed herself from Alanna's arms. "I can walk, you know. I just can't Apparate as far as Adie can."

"Adie?" Ginny asked curiously. "Who's that- oh. You gave him a nickname?"

The girl, in her only response, held up her palm. A matching line was scored across her palm, identical to the ones Draco, Harry and Ginny shared.

Alanna's, Xander's, Claudette's, Lucas's, Lily's and James's jaws dropped. Petunia and Dudley walked into the room, rubbing their eyes. "What's going on?" Dudley asked sleepily then his jaw dropped as he took in the girl in the middle of the room.

Harry grinned. "Figures he would bind you two together. Welcome, Cousin." He and Draco walked over to her. "I take it you're tired and would like a bed to sleep in?"

"What the- you two are entirely too understanding about this," she accused.

Harry, Draco and Ginny held their hands up, palm out. "Nope, we just know the feeling. Come on, let's go somewhere more comfortable. Mum, Dad, you coming?" Numbly, everyone followed as Draco, Harry and Ginny led the blanket clad girl into the study.

"Oh, Ginny, could you summon some clothing?" Draco asked conversationally. "You and she seem to be the same size."

Ginny waved her hand and a pair of loose gray pajama bottoms and a blue tee shirt appeared. The girl grinned and waved a hand, copying Ginny's movement, and the clothes disappeared, reappearing on her body.

"Nice," Ginny said approvingly. "They fit, right?" They walked into the study and immediately flopped onto the couch, already giggling like sisters.

"All right," Alanna said grumpily, once everyone had seated themselves. "Would anyone care to explain what just happened? I am horribly confused."

"Sure." The girl stood up. "My name is Erin, and Clautius abducted me from my home three years and two months ago. He knocked me out, and I woke up in a stone room with a chain around my neck. I have been there ever since. Soon after I woke up, Adrian walked into the room. He was furious, muttering about not needing a power source. His father, of course, followed him into the room, and they had it out right then and there."

"Ok, back up. Why were you abducted?" Alanna asked, holding up a hand.

"Convenience, I think," Erin said softly. "I was in the right place at the wrong time so they took me. Anything else?"

No one answered, so she continued. "Anyway, it was really loud and scary, and both of them were bruised and bloody by the end of it, and half the room was destroyed. The only thing that hadn't been touched was a ten foot radius around me. Eventually, Clautius backed off, but warned Adie that he would need a power source to perform some of the spells they would need to destroy someone they only referred to as 'Mother'. Then, he left. I watched Adie systematically destroy everything that hadn't been completely obliterated for the better part of an hour. After he finally worked out his anger, he walked over to me. He apologized that he was such a horrible host, apologized again for the circumstances surrounding my arrival to his bedroom, and asked me my name."

Erin paused to breathe and looked around. The adults were staring at her, their mouths agape. Only the four teenagers were unsurprised. The newcomers, Petunia and Dudley, just looked confused.

"Any other questions?" she asked tentatively.

Alanna grinned. "I told you, Xander! He's not his father!" Xander frowned at her. She turned to Erin. "Could you please continue? I have vested interest in this."

Erin and the rest of the room looked curiously at her. "Wait- you're Alanna, right?" the girl asked.

"Yes, why?"

_ Then, on behalf of Adrian, I apologize for his behavior with regards to Morgrainne, Mearlein, and the events that happened so long ago. He hates himself for what happened and that he couldn't stand up to his father enough to protect his family, but you'll never hear a word out of him. He dreams about it, and has the most horrible nightmares._ She spoke telepathically, not realizing that everyone except for Petunia and Dudley in the room could hear her as well.

Alanna's jaw dropped and tears started to fall down her face. _Are you telepathically bound now?_ she asked, biting her lip.

_ Yes, Ma'am, for almost two years now._

_ Tell him there's nothing to forgive, that I forgave him a long time ago._ Xander's jaw dropped and he stalked off, swearing in as many languages as he could. Claudette just looked confused as she and her mate ran out after Xander.

Erin's grin lit up the room as she relayed the message. _He's actually speechless. And, I think he just passed out. I don't think I've ever felt anything like it,_ she said with a laugh. Ginny and Darius snickered. "Anyway, he didn't once touch me in any way, shape or form that was bad. He removed the wards that kept me from accessing my magic, and he did his best to make me comfortable. Over the course of a year, I became his confident, and he treated me like a sister. We became so close; it was horrible when Clautius ordered his to use my magic as a boost for the beginning of a complicated creation spell. We were desperate, to the point that I offered and said it would be all right if he used my powers, just so he wouldn't feel so horrible. He almost stopped talking to me after that, he was so angry with my suggestion. Anyway, he spent two weeks on Earth, searching for a solution. He found it, actually in a copy of the same book you three used," she said, gesturing to Harry, Draco and Ginny.

Harry grinned. "So, you're now his sister. Hey, were you a telepath before he came along?"

"Nope," she grinned. "I was just a plain earth elemental. Anyway, we blood bonded an hour after he found the spell, which fixed the problem."

"You can draw on each other's powers." Draco nodded.

"True. We don't know if Clautius figured it out or not. But, things changed about eight months ago."

"That would be when he met me," Ginny grinned.

"You??" Erin gasped. "You're his soul mate??"

"Hey, I am, too," Darius said with a grin. Erin stared back and forth, her eyes wide.

"I won't even pretend to understand how my brother was lucky enough to get two soul mates," Erin grumbled.

Ginny and Darius fell over, laughing.

"Fine, be that way. Well, this past year, Clautius decided that his personal power supply wasn't enough. He'd send Adrian out and then use me. I'd try to get Adie to help, but somehow Clautius would block our link. He did that five or six times. Adie finally found out an hour ago, right before we came here. In fact, that was one of the reasons he brought me here. He said you could help me and take care of me."

"Sounds good. Do you want the East, West or North Wing?" Harry asked, down to business.

"What?" Alanna and James asked.

"Where do you want your room?" Lily specified. At James's surprised look, she giggled. "Really, James, we know you're thick, but this takes the cake. She needs a place to sleep and we have hundred of rooms in this drafty old place."

"It isn't drafty," James muttered.

Erin grinned. "Really, it's all right. You don't have to do that for me. I have a bank account at Gringotts and can summon my key. I can find a hotel until I'm well enough to go home."

Harry shook his head. "Absolutely not. Mum, I'm going to put her in the room down the hall from Ginny. Come on," he hauled Erin to her feet and they Apparated.

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Well, now that that's settled, I'm going back to sleep. G'night everyone." He disappeared with a soft pop.

The next morning, Harry, Draco, Ginny, Darius and Dudley Apparated to Gringotts with a very chipper Erin, who was once again borrowing clothes from Ginny. After several hair-raising minutes in the cart, they made the rounds to everyone's bank vaults, pulling money for the shopping excursion. As Erin had arrived in only a blanket, Harry and Ginny felt it was only fair to buy her an entirely new wardrobe, the best of Wizarding and Muggle London.

They Apparated to Queens Court, their wallets stuffed with money, with the exception of Erin.

"Why- what- I have to have cash in order to pay for my purchases!" Erin protested as she was dragged into the mall. "Hell, even an ATM will do!"

"We already told you. This one is on us," Harry's voice held no room for argument. "I'm the richest damn person in the world, and I'm gonna spend some money on my newest family member, my soon to be sister through bonding. So shut up and shop."

"That's a really nice argument," Adrian drawled from his seat on a bench not too far from the entrance. "How does a person go about getting in on that?"

"I'd like to keep it under five grand," Harry said with a smirk. "Hello, Your Highness," he said sarcastically, giving a sweeping bow.

Adrian's eyes grew wide as saucers. "Damn. I think we can live with that." He frowned. "Would you quit teasing me?"

"ADIE!!!" Erin yelled, flinging herself at the Prince of Hell. Adrian caught her and wrapped her in his arms.

"Erin, Erin, what are you doing here, out in the open? They were supposed to be protecting you!" He scowled at Draco, who scowled back.

"Adrian, no offense, but we make your pops look like a loser," Harry said in all seriousness.

"We are the most powerful demigods in existence," Draco sneered. "I'd like to see you do better with assigning bodyguards."

"And how do you propose to protect my sister?" Adrian asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

Harry and Draco grinned and clasped hands. Their hands glowed faintly; a mixture of blue and green before a slight mental shockwave slammed into the people around them. "Hmmm, let's see. Oh, look, there's the Death Eaters spying on us for Clautius and Voldemort- I thought he had a talk with his minions about the rudeness of following people around? Oh, and there's Remus and Sirius, keeping an eye on us for Alanna, and oh, wow. There's a Vamp behind that poorly disguised Playboy magazine on the bench over there. I think we've got it covered."

Adrian looked around as Harry gave a cheery wave to everyone he had spotted. Darius groaned and shook his head. "That isn't just a Vamp, that's my big brother, Marcus."

Ginny groaned and closed her eyes. "You mean the one that's over three hundred years old? The one that currently administers to the American Vampire Drow nation?"

"Yep. I am so screwed." Darius hung his head and walked over to the Playboy magazine. "Hello, big brother."

The magazine dropped. "Hello, Dare. What the hell are you doing here, when Mom asked you not to hang out with him?"

Violet eyes met violet. The two brothers, almost carbon copies, stared each other down for several long minutes.

Harry and Draco walked over, Erin safely with Adrian, to get rid of the poor excuse for minions, and talk to Remus and Sirius as well.

Four minutes later, three Death Eaters were various barnyard animals wandering around the ice burgs of Antarctica, and Remus and Sirius had joined the shopping spree, albeit a little reluctantly.

When Harry, Draco, Remus and Sirius walked back to the group, Darius and Marcus still stood there, staring at each other angrily. "Oh, come off it." Draco physically separated the two. "We're on the same side, and you are both legal adults. Please stop this pathetic behavior."

Marcus hissed, baring his fangs at the demigod.

"You idiot!" Harry snapped, dragging Darius and his brother into a deserted bathroom, Draco and Adrian following. "We're in the middle of a MUGGLE mall, in case you forgot! Quit exposing yourself! Wait- that sounded wrong!" Harry stopped yelling and started banging his head on the wall. Draco sat down on the floor, laughing.

Adrian snickered and joined Draco on the floor, Ginny on his lap. Darius blinked. "All right, that was strange. I'm not sure I want to know what you're really thinking about, Harry."

"Come on," Harry groaned. "We need to go shopping. Erin needs some clothes, and I would like to get this over with. Could you all please put the animosity away for just four hours?"

Adrian stared at them. "You're still willing to be seen in public with me?" he asked, chewing his lip.

Ginny grinned. "You brought me a new sister! You're the bestest Evil Dark Prince Boyfriend a girl could hope for!" she squealed, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek.

Adrian turned a spectacular shade of pink, and hung his head. "Ummm."

"Aw, you're so cute when you turn that color," Darius teased. He wrapped an arm around Adrian's shoulders, causing the Prince of hell to turn an even brighter shade of pink.

Marcus started banging his head against the wall, hoping for a concussion.

Seven hours and twelve stores later, the exhausted group, minus Adrian, Apparated back to Potter Manor, laden with multiple shopping bags. They dropped the bags on the marble floor of the entrance hall and banished them to the appropriate rooms wearily before trekking into the study. "Whoever invented shopping must be on Clautius's payroll," Harry said with a sigh, flopping onto a couch and groaning.

"Why do you say that?" Alanna asked, putting down her book.

"Because it is so fun, yet so exhausting, and time consuming, and it is the only time that Galleons run through your pockets like water. Who ever invented it must be evil. I think, if Clautius ever used a gigantic mall as a trap, and invited all of Earth to come shop, we would all be toast."

"Hear, hear," Erin agreed tiredly, summoning a giant glass of coke.

Alanna grinned. "Don't say that too loud, he might hear you."

"Why, is he here?" Draco asked, his eyes wide.

"Who? What?" Harry asked, bolting upright. "Who's here?"

Ginny and Darius looked at each other. "What's going on?" Darius asked.

"They're just nuts," Ginny said with a sigh.

"Hey!" Draco protested. "I resemble that remark!"

"Too right," Sirius yawned. Within minutes, he was sound asleep, his head cushioned by Remus's lap. Remus looked down and yawned as well, running his fingers lightly through Sirius's ebony locks.

Alanna shook her head. "I'm sending you all to your rooms," she warned before banishing everyone.

The next day, Ginny, Harry, Draco and Darius went again to the mall, this time leaving Erin with Alanna to begin the search for Erin's family.

The stayed at the mall for seven hours- Adrian never came.

The next day it was the same, and the next. Eventually, they stopped going, because he didn't show up. Darius and Ginny became depressed and confused, wondering what had happened to him.

Over the next several weeks, Alanna and Erin searched for her family so she could go home. As her father was, or, when she was a teenager had been in the Army, they finally had to recruit Captain George to help them search for his last duty station. After almost three weeks of trying to track down the Muggle family, they found the last duty station- Bonn, Germany.

Alanna threw up her hands. "Well, they could be anywhere in the States!" she said, exasperated.

Erin rolled her eyes. "I've said it twice- in the last twenty minutes. This was all unnecessary! I'll just call my Grandmother!"

Alanna sighed. "We already called her, remember? Two weeks ago. The number had been discontinued."

"Hello! I have TWO grandmothers!"

Alanna stopped, her eyes narrowed. "Oh. Right. Well, call her already!"

Erin rolled her eyes yet again before picking up the phone and dialing. "Hello? Is this Mrs. Murphy? No, Janet Murphy, not Amy- wait, Amy is there?" She walked off, carrying the cordless phone.

Within minutes, Erin had her grandmother, mother and father on the phone, and thus began the tearful reunion.

Three days later, Erin left, finally home with her parents. Harry and Draco accompanied her to set up wards for her protection and the protection of her family.

While they were gone, Lily and James sent the invitations for Harry's surprise seventeenth birthday party and then Apparated to pick out his present, Gareth sleeping in Lily's arms.

Three days before Harry's birthday, Draco disappeared for the whole day and came back at ten thirty at night, laden with bags. Harry stared as Draco stacked to bags in the walk in closet and scowled. "What was so important that you couldn't even talk to me all day?" he pouted from where he was lying, on his stomach, on their bed.

"Shopping," Draco said cautiously. "And, before you ask, no you can't see what I bought."

Harry pouted. "Why not?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Because."

Harry pouted even harder. Draco just glared at him and Harry sighed. "Fine, be that way. When's Uncle Sev coming back?" he asked hopefully.

Draco cocked his head to one side. "You know, I have no idea."

Harry scowled slightly. "I miss them," he said sadly. "I wish they'd come back already. I mean, we've popped into their manor ten, eleven times, just to check up on the house elves and if they needed anything."

"Do you want to call them?" Draco asked. "They're at the Mansion, so we could just contact them." He sat down next to Harry and rested his head on his soul mate's back.

"Won't that be intruding?" Harry asked.

Draco rolled his eyes. "You worry too much."

Harry rolled his eyes in response. "Fine." He reached out for the familiar pull of his Godfather's mind... and jerked back as quickly as possible.

"Well?" Draco asked.

Harry pushed him. "They were... you know."

Draco started laughing, falling off the bed.

"It's not funny! I'm scarred for life!" Harry protested. "I'm MMMPPPGH!"

_ Put your mouth to better use, Potter._

The next morning, Harry attempted to roll out of bed, but couldn't, as he was half way under a lightly snoring blond. "Oof," he wheezed, trying to push Draco off of his back. No such luck. Draco scowled, his lower lip jutting out adorably, and tightened his grip.

"No... stay... nice teddy..." Draco whimpered, snuggling into Harry's neck.

Harry groaned. "Draco... wake up please."

"Nope, not gonna." Draco burrowed further into Harry's neck, tendrils of his hair tickling Harry's nose.

"Wake up."

"No."

"Please?" Harry sighed. He really had to use the bathroom.

"Nope."

"I have to pee."

"Can't you hold it?"

Harry growled low in the back of his throat. This was really becoming exasperating. "Move it, or I'll...." He grinned suddenly and rolled over, landing directly on top of his soul mate.

"Mmmmph!!!" Draco groaned. Harry smirked triumphantly and started to get up. Draco promptly wrapped his arms around Harry's neck and his legs around his waist, true starfish style.

"Fuck!" Harry snapped.

Draco smirked and opened his eyes. "Now, that's a directive I can obey."

Harry rolled his eyes and stood up.

"New positions? We've never tried it standing up-oof!" Draco unceremoniously landed on his back on the bed. Harry gave him a distinctly predatory grin and he shivered, closing his eyes. When he opened his eyes back up, several disappointing seconds later, Harry was nowhere in sight. "What the-" He heard a toilet flush and Harry stalked back out form the bathroom, sporting a relieved grin.

Draco lay back and pouted, crossing his arms. "That wasn't very ni- MMMPGH!"

_ Put your mouth to better use, Malfoy._

Three hours later, they managed to drag them out of bed when their hunger pangs became too great and then Apparated into the dining hall, wearing pairs of pajama bottoms and identical lazy grins. Alanna looked up at them as they appeared next to the table and smirked. "Good afternoon. I'm so glad you could join us."

Harry smirked. "It isn't afternoon."

Alanna waved her hand, and foot high scarlet numbers blinked at him. '12:09'. "I'll say it again- good afternoon."

Harry scowled at her.

The distinct pop of Apparation behind the two teens had them whirling around, their hands swirling with power. An extremely giddy Laurel and a smiling Severus stared at them with surprise. "What? Who were you expecting?" Severus asked, opening his arms.

Harry and Draco wasted no time in hugging their favorite Potions Professor. "We missed you," they said as one before moving on to hug Laurel just as hard. "And, to answer your question," Harry continued, "we've had some interesting people here, the most interesting being Adrian about three weeks ago."

"What?" Laurel asked, her face paling. "That bastard better not come back here or I'll hurt him myself!"

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Did he ever lay a hand on you, Laurel?" he asked a bit coolly.

Laurel frowned. "Well, no."

"Did he ever hurt you in any way other than physically?" Draco asked seriously.

"No, but he's Clautius's son!" she insisted.

"What is all this about?" Severus demanded. "Explain yourselves!"

"We've met him," Harry explained.

"He's actually pretty nice," Draco continued.

"Ginny likes him," Harry said immediately after Draco.

"And Darius does too," Draco finished.

Laurel and Severus stared at them incredulously.

"A lot has changed while you were gone," Harry said lamely.

"Ginny and Darius have been meeting with him, and Draco and I tagged along, just in case. And, then, three weeks ago, he Apparated in here with this chick named Erin and told us to keep her safe, that he couldn't protect her any more."

"And, then we helped her find her family, but Adrian hasn't been back to see Ginny and Darius since then, except for once, the first day Erin was here. They're worried and Ginny's cried about it more than once," Draco said, his eyes troubled.

Severus raised an eyebrow. "I see."

Laurel scowled. "Well, I don't. He's an evil bastard!"

Harry and Draco sighed, and began once again. "Has he done anything to you?"

Three hours later, they had yet to convince Laurel of Adrian's semi good personality, though she was willing to meet him and discover the truth for herself. After she spent some quality time chewing him out for being an evil bastard, that is.

The next two days were spent in quiet preparation for Harry's birthday. Everyone invited had agreed to come, including Ginny, Darius, Claudette, Lucas, Seamus, Blaise, Emily, Eric, Dudley and his girlfriend Amanda, Neville, Luna, Ron, Hermione, Bill, the rest of the Weaseley Family, Ceilia, Remus, Sirius, Severus, Laurel, the demigods and demigoddesses.

On the morning of Harry's birthday, he awoke to knowledgeable hands mapping his skin, tracing patterns all over his chest, back, stomach and neck.

"Mmm," Harry groaned, keeping his eyes closed.

"Happy Birthday," the soft voice of his soul mate whispered in his ear, nibbling and pulling the rings in his cartilage.

Harry's eyes shot open at the sensation. "Good morning to you, too," he moaned softly, as those hands traveled lower on his abdomen, followed by an inquisitive tongue in all the right places. "Oh, please, yes... huh?" the hands suddenly left his skin.

"Draco?" Harry asked, looking up to find his soul mate lying next to him, looking down at him with an odd expression on his face. "Draco, what is it?"

Draco swallowed, his anxiety leaking through the slight shields they held between each other.

"Draco, answer me. What is wrong?" Harry asked, slightly exasperated.

Draco stared Harry straight in the eye. "I- umm," Nervously, he played with the edge of the blanket.

Harry glared at him, still almost painfully aroused. "You are being rather unfair."

Draco sighed.

"What is going on?"

Draco rolled off the bed and started ransacking the drawers of his dresser, cursing under his breath.

Harry sighed. "Hello," he muttered, holding up the small jar he found under his pillow. "Are you looking for this?"

Draco whipped around. "Nope, something else," he muttered, looking on the floor for the pants he had been wearing the day before. "Aha!"

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Did you find it?" he asked wryly, sitting back against the pillows, the blanket discarded.

Draco nodded and sauntered back to the bed, his eyes betraying his nervousness.

"Come on, Dray, tell me what this is all about."

Draco bit his lip and brought out a small black velvet box. "I got you a present?" he nervously toyed with the box.

Harry leaned forward. "Oh?" He stood up and walked over to Draco, pulling him into a searing kiss. "That's so sweet."

Draco grinned slightly. "It goes with a question I've been thinking about for quite some time," he muttered.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "And?" he asked, smirking at the uncharacteristic display of nerves Draco was exhibiting.

Draco chewed his lip, and Harry ran a thumb over the chewed lip, stroking it. "Draco, just ask the question. I'd do anything for you. You know that."

His eyes widened as Draco dropped to one knee. "Draco..."

"Oh, shut it. That little comment at the Mall had me thinking. I really didn't like seeing you flirt with some chick, even if she's now dating your cousin. And, I really don't like the fact that, even though we're bonded, it isn't official. So, Harry Potter, would you do me the horror of marrying me?" He opened the box, displaying a thin platinum band woven in a Celtic knot with small diamond chips encrusted in the spaces.

Harry's jaw dropped and he stared at Draco incredulously before biting his finger, trying desperately to muffle his snorts of laughter.

Draco pouted, incredibly hurt. He slowly closed the box, a single tear trickling down his face.

"Wait- Draco, wait." Harry walked over to the bureau, and pulled open the second drawer, pulling out an identical black velvet box. He handed it to Draco with a grin. "Open it."

Draco did, and he stared at the identical platinum bands, his mouth open. "You- you bought one yourself?" he stammered.

Harry nodded. "So, Draco Malfoy, what say you? Will you marry me?"

Grinning, they slid the bands on each others' ring fingers. "Do you see why I started laughing?" Harry asked with a smirk.

Draco chuckled. "It only proves that we have excellent taste."

Still smiling, Harry caressed the side of Draco's face. "So, Draco do you think we could finish what you started?" He pulled his fiancé in for a loving kiss.

Draco pulled Harry towards the bathroom. "I don't know... I feel like taking a shower."

Harry's eyes lit up. "Sounds good to me."

An hour later, they stumbled out of the bathroom, still kissing and groping each other.

"Ahem."

Harry looked over and caught sight of his amused parents sitting on his bed. "Ummm, hi Mum, hi Dad."

"Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Potter," Draco muttered, hiding behind Harry.

"Draco, we've told you. Mum and Dad or Lily and James. Mr. and Mrs. Potter make us feel old."

"Fine. Hello, Lily, James."

Harry rolled his eyes. "I hate to sound abrupt, but we were a little busy. Was there something you desperately needed?"

Lily smirked. "Unless you count wishing our son a happy seventeenth birthday, no, not really."

Harry turned pink. "I love you both, but could you let us get dressed?"

James shrugged. "It's nothing we haven't seen before."

"Mum!" Harry pleaded.

Lily hit James on the shoulder. "Come on. I guess we can give gifts later." They stood up and headed for the door, laughing.

Draco summoned a pair of pants. "Don't let them get away, Harry! They're giving gifts!"

Laughing, Harry summoned his pants, putting them on. "Mum, Dad, we're decent!"

Lily and James turned back around. "Oh, really?" They stared at the shirtless boys with amusement.

Harry nodded excitedly.

"Then follow us. There's something we have to show you." With that, Lily and James walked out of their room, arms around each others waists.

Harry and Draco looked at each other and followed, their fingers intertwined and their rings glinting in the light.

They walked outside of the Manor and stopped, flabbergasted, on the front steps.

Lily and James stood next to them. "So, you have a choice. Which do you want?"

Harry walked down the three steps, staring at the black convertible Jaguar and then at the Vincent Black Knight. "Oh my God."

"Harry, pick the Jag, pick the Jag," Draco pleaded.

Harry ran his hand over the classic motorcycle, smirking. "Why? I think I like the cycle, better."

"I refuse to ride on the bitch seat," Draco snapped. Harry snickered.

"Come on, Harry. The Jag is- oh man, it's pure sex appeal and money."

Harry smirked at Draco, continuing to stroke the handlebars lovingly.

"Harry, come on. Pick the bloody Jag!"

"Why? It's my present, not yours."

"Because driving a black Jag is like running stark naked into a church filled with priests and nuns and screaming SEX at the top of your lungs! Pick the fucking Jag!!!"

Lily poked James in the ribs. "I want the Vincent. I don't mind riding on the back."

James smirked. "Can I get a leather jacket?"

Lily grinned. "I want one, too."

"Damn it, Draco!" Harry yelled. "I don't even know how to drive!!!"

"So??? It's a JAG!!!!"

Harry was suddenly tempted to throttle his soul mate. "So?"

"It's a Jag! Jags are sexy!"

James walked over to Harry and slung an arm around his shoulder. "So, decided yet?"

"What?" Harry asked, staring incredulously at his father. "I can't even drive!"

"Well, we have to know what lessons to sign you up for," Lily explained, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Harry grinned. "You're signing me up for driving lessons?"

Draco pouted. "Pick the Jag, please pick the Jag."

Harry rolled his eyes. "I should pick the bike just to spite you," he muttered.

Lily smirked. "Pick the Jag, please pick the Jag?" she asked, staring at her son imploringly.

"All right, Draco has made his point. Why are you so anxious, now?" Harry asked, eyeing his mother and father suspiciously.

Lily grinned and sent them an image of her, Remus, James and Sirius taking cross-country trips with the two bikes. "We've always wanted to. It was something we talked about right before you were born," she explained.

Harry grinned and stuck his tongue out at Draco. "You win. Jag it is."

"YAY!!!!!!!!!!"

Lily raised an eyebrow as Draco promptly did the happy dance around the car.

Harry edged away from his soul mate, as if his insanity were catching.

James grinned, popped back into the house, and popped back out, carrying a very wide awake Gareth. "Now, Gareth, that is insanity. Can you say insanity?"

Gareth burbled happily.

Draco glared at him.

Harry smirked and turned to walk back into the house, when Lily caught his left hand. "And, what is this?" she asked casually.

Draco stopped dancing around as James caught his arm. "And, when were you going to tell us about this?" he asked, studying the ring with a smirk.

Draco and Harry stared at them. "Um, later today?" Harry offered.

"Right. March, young man." Lily dragged Harry into the house, James doing the same to Draco.

And Gareth burbled the entire way in.

A/N: Well, so goes another chapter. Not much to say, except I am almost done with one of the ideas I had. I also think I should have kept Just Like You as a one shot. It doesn't work as a whole story- after all, I was given the challenge of making Dumbledore say the F word, and I did. That was all I was aiming to do.

Anyway, Chapter 4 done, thirty to thirty five more to go. Damn... Anyway, read, review, the works! I apologize for the delay... I dunno what's going on, but I've been done with this chapter for now almost a week and it hasn't been betaed yet. I'm writing this as of 8/12, but... I dunno. ANNIE!!!! PLEASE BETA THE CHAPPIE!!!!!!!!!! THE PUBLIC NEEDS YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

B/N: (Falls out of bed, and gets tangled in blankets) Huh?! A'rite! A'rite! I'm up! (Clickety clackety! BetaZING! More BetaZING!) Done! And record time, too!

Hope you all like it! Sorry it took so long! I was sorta hibernating... Coughgoingtogreatamericacough! But all done now!!!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I am now on my rewrite of the chapter. I had 13 pages of pure, unadulterated shit- no joke. The chapter sucked. That is really why this is taking so long. I kept rereading what I had written and couldn't write any more of it. IT was horrible- trite and very stupid. You would have hated it and flamed me. So, I figure that you would appreciate a late- yet well written and thought out chapter, than a still late sad sack of shit that was horribly written and had no point. Anyway, enjoy the chapter. Can you tell I haven't taken my prozac lately?

Chapter 5

Lily grinned at Harry's hand once they were out of the sun. "This is exquisite," she mused, waving his hand around and making the diamonds sparkle in the torchlight.

"Why are you both wearing rings? Did you two elope or something?" James asked, moving Draco's hand around as well. Rainbows shimmered around the walls of the dining room.

Harry smirked at his soul mate, now Fiancé. "Nope. Well, Draco popped the question this morning, and I had planned to pop the question later on tonight, so we both decided to wear the rings we had bought each other."

"But the rings are the same!" Lily said, confused.

"Yeah, pretty cool, right? We didn't even plan it." Draco held his hand up to Harry's and admired their intertwined fingers.

"Great minds think alike," Harry smirked.

"Fools' thoughts differ little," James quipped.

"Hey!" Harry and Draco protested. James caught Draco's eye and raised his eyebrows. Draco smirked and nodded, catching the unspoken plea.

"Harry, why don't we go out for a while?" Draco grabbed Harry's hands and led him out of the Dining Room.

Lily watched them go, completely confused. "Why is Draco dragging Harry out of the room as if the hounds of hell were on his heels? I wanted to tease him some more!"

James smirked. "Well, I just gave him permission to get Harry out of the house until this afternoon, around, say, four o'clock?"

Lily grinned. "Well, that was nice of the two of you. Now then, our guests should be arriving shortly. Come on. We have to set up."

Harry stared at first their lush bedroom on the planet Harry had created and then his soul mate with confusion. "Draco, not that I'm complaining, why are we at the Mansion?"

Draco grinned and pushed Harry onto the bed, quickly divesting them of their scanty clothing. "We haven't been here in a while. I missed bonding." He smirked slightly. _And Harry's parents wanted him out...works for me!_

"All right, what are you hiding?" Harry demanded, catching the stray thought.

Draco shook his head, smiling. "Nope. Not gonna tell."

Harry pouted. "Please?" Bending down, Draco captured his lips in a slow kiss. Harry broke away. "Nope. Not until you tell me."

Draco smirked at him and eyed the bedposts speculatively. "Really. How much you want to bet?"

Harry scowled up at him. "Just tell me, Draco!"

_Nope, not gonna. _Draco slid his hips against Harry's, rocking gently.

With a muffled moan, Harry switched tactics as well. _Ok... you win._ Abruptly, he flipped Draco over, nipping on his lower lip. He slid his mind further into the bond they shared, reveling in the warmth, love and security it provided. Keeping Draco sufficiently distracted with long, languorous kisses, moving from his lips to that perfect spot two inches below his ear and sucking, biting gently, he delved further into the link, searching for what Draco was hiding.

_Just a little more, a little further- got it!_ Harry cheered mentally, viewing the information on his surprise birthday party.

_Harry- hey! You weren't supposed to see that! Get outta my head, you tosser!_ Draco yelled indignantly.

_Too late. This is a nice party my parents have planned for me- don't worry, I'll act suitably surprised when them jump out at me, screaming._

Draco sat up and scowled at him. "Would you quit being a sneaky bastard? That's my job! You're supposed to be the nice, honorable one!"

Harry grinned and stretched, 'unwittingly' looking like a Playgirl centerfold. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Draco's jaw dropped. "You're doing it again!"

_Oh, shut up and kiss me, _Harry commanded, grabbing the back of Draco's head and pulling him down hungrily.

_Don't think for an instant that I'm going to forget what you did... oh, do that again!_ Draco moaned. _Potter, you better keep doing that- what the-_

_Clautius stared down at her hungrily. "You're mine, my dear. No one is going to come for you. You might as well get used to it."_

_"Let me go! You have no right! You absolute bastard! When I get out of these chains I'm gonna KILL you!!!" She screamed at him defiantly._

_"I don't think so." He smirked at her, making a circling motion with his first finger. Abruptly, she fell to the ground, clawing at the manacle around her neck, her lips turning purple. After what felt like hours, she sagged to the ground, gulping air, barely conscious._

_"You see?" Clautius sneered. "You're mine, to do with," he trailed his eyes down her naked form hungrily and her eyes widened, "with whatever I like and no one will stop me."_

_"No- no-NO!" she gasped, her face contorting for the first time with terror. "You- you can't DO this to me!"_

Oh, but I can,_ his voice was suddenly all around her, in her mind, in her skin, in the very air she breathed. _I own you now, my dear._ He grabbed her by the throat and held her a foot off the ground, sliding his other hand slowly down the front of her body._

Draco fought out of the vision with everything he had, feeling Harry do the same above him. "Ha- Ha- Harry?" he stuttered, his eyes wide. "What was that?"

Harry was already off the bed, his pants back on. He tossed Draco's to him and opened the door. "I have no idea, but it wasn't us so I'm going to find out. You coming?"

Draco had his pants on in a matter of seconds. "Yeah."

They all but sprinted from the room, searching for whoever was having the vision. Harry skidded into the hallway, Draco slamming into his back. They sprawled on the floor, right in front of Alanna and Xander's feet.

"Lana, Xander, now is not the time!" Harry gasped, hauling Draco to his feet. They raced down the hallway, their brother and sister staring after them strangely.

Harry and Draco linked their minds together, searching telepathically. _Down the hall, I think,_ Draco directed. They Apparated without a moment's hesitation.

And immediately wished they hadn't, as Severus and Laurel lay on their bed, naked and under the covers, their limbs intertwined. "Oh, oops," Harry muttered, hastily averting his eyes.

Draco did no such thing. "Uncle Sev? Are you all right?" Severus didn't respond, nor did Laurel. He climbed up on the bed and shook their shoulders. "Um, Harry- HARRY! They aren't breathing!"

Harry's eyes widened and he ran from the room, reappearing seconds later with Alanna and Xander in tow. "Help!" he squeaked, his face pale. Alanna and Xander ran to the bed, checking pulses.

"Right, they've got a heart rhythm, but- what the hell?" Alanna asked, trailing her fingers over Severus's temples. "How did you know?" she asked Harry as Xander started rescue breathing on Laurel. She started breathing air into Severus's lungs.

"We felt a – like, a vision or something when he deepened our bond and, yeah. We followed it." Harry's voice sounded high and unnatural, even to his own ears.

"Right," she said in between breaths. "What was the vision?"

"It was Clautius and he was hurting someone- it felt like I was the one in chains," Draco said, shuddering. Harry nodded, his eyes closed.

"Wait- you don't think Laurel- oh my God," Harry muttered. He grabbed Draco's hand, pressing the other to Laurel's temple. "Come on. They're stuck and it's killing them."

"But-" Alanna protested. "Wait!"

"No time. Draco, let's go." With a thought, Harry slammed the both of them back into the nightmare.

_She lay there, her face pressing into the harsh, cold stones as something impossibly large tears its way through her, shredding her insides. _I will not scream. I will not scream. I will kill them all I will not scream I will not scream I will kill them all I will not scream. _She chants to herself, her eyes clenched shut and her hands curled into claws, scrabbling for any purchase at all on the rough stone beneath her. _It hurts, oh God it hurts but I won't scream. I won't I won't I won't I'll kill them. Make it stop make it stop someone help me Oh God it hurts make it stop PLEASE-_ She arches off the floor as large, razor sharp claws rake down her sides-_

I am Harry I am Draco I have to get out of this I have to get out of this I have to get out of this I have to get out of this-

_Harry blinked slowly, his head spinning. Beside him, he felt more than heard Draco groan as he pushed himself from the stone slabs that made up the arctic floor. "Draco?" he asked softly._

_"Harry? Come on, we have to get up," Draco hissed, rubbing his forehead. Harry sat up and their eyes widened in identical expressions of horror. Across the room from them lay Laurel, an enormous, ebony skinned demon on top of her, and, standing next to them stood Clautius. He stared at Harry and Draco with the utmost loathing, blackest power swirling around his clenched fists._

_"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Satan hissed as he strode over to stand in front of them._

_Harry threw a bolt of at Clautius, striking him in the chest. He staggered backwards, giving the two of them time enough to stand up. Draco quickly obliterated the demon still on top of Laurel and pulled his soul mate to his feet._

What do we do?_ Harry asked him, his eyes narrowed._

_Draco chewed his lip. _I have no idea. We have to get rid of the Big Bad first.

Right. Tackle the bastard and beat the shit out of him it is,_ Harry commented drolly._

_Draco shrugged. _Works for me.

_As one, they charged the King of Hell, slamming him into the ground. Harry immediately straddled his chest, pummeling the outraged and flabbergasted Demigod across the face. Draco quickly slammed his knee into Clautius's groin, causing the King of Hell to turn a grayish blue color and to curl up into the fetal position. His mouth moved soundlessly as he gasped for air._

_Harry and Draco stood up, moving off of him and quickly clasped their hands together. A brilliant swirl of ice blue and deep emerald shot out of their fingertips, surrounding Clautius and trapping him in place._

_Clautius struggled, trying to wrench free with no avail. "You- you- let me go!" he yelled, before disappearing in a flash of light._

_Draco and Harry stared at each other in bewilderment. "Draco, what the hell is going on? Where did he go?"_

_Draco shrugged and walked over to Laurel. "Hey, Aunt Laurel, wake up! Clautius the Retard is gone!"_

_Harry walked over and bent down, passing his hand before her nose and mouth. "Um, Draco, I don't think she's breathing." He knelt next to the battered figure, grasping her temple with one hand and Draco's fingers with the other._

No no no don't touch me no no no no no nonononono help someone help me please god help me-

LAUREL! SEVERUS! _Draco and Harry shouted desperately, trying not to be swept into the mindless terror. _Come on, it's over! Please wake up!

Nonononono... Harry? Draco? _The voice separated into two different tones. Harry almost wept with relief when he heard his uncle's silky baritone and his new aunt's soft contralto. _What- what happened?

You have to wake up,_ Draco pleaded. _You stopped breathing. You were caught in something. Some sort of- what was it, Harry?

You were caught in a nightmare loop, _Harry supplied. Cautiously, he and Draco retreated from Severus and Laurel's minds, pulling them back into the dream world. The shackle around Laurel's neck shattered, and Severus appeared next to her. Draco conjured a blanket, wrapping it around the both of them._

_"Are you all right?" Harry asked as he and Draco helped Severus and Laurel to their feet._

_Severus groaned slightly and shook his head, trying to clear the sudden migraine that blossomed across his skull. "I think so. Laurel?"_

_Laurel just stared at the ground, her face pale and her entire body shaking. "It- how- how did you stop him? I-" She broke off, her face turning gray. She sagged and Severus caught her, almost falling over in the process as his mate's weakness caused his own legs to give out. Harry grabbed his shoulders, hauling him upright again, as Draco took Laurel from his arms._

_"Now, come on. We have to get out of here. Alanna and Xander are probably still doing rescue breathing on you two." Harry placed his fingers lovingly against Draco's temple._

_"What?" Severus snapped at his nephew. "Why?"_

_"We told you. You stopped breathing. Both of you," Draco snapped, exasperated. "Now, come on!"_

_"What do you mean?" Laurel asked, her face white. "This isn't real? What the- what happened?" she pushed herself out of Draco's arms and grabbed Harry's shoulder. "Answer me, damn it!"_

_Harry sighed and tapped his other fingers against Laurel's temple. Next to him, Draco did the same to Severus._

Clautius loomed over him, a deceptively soft hand stroked his face- Draco stared at him concerned- Embarrassment that they had interrupted their Aunt and Uncle- Laurel and Sev weren't breathing- Alanna and Xander- Clautius hit the wall, was bound then disappeared..........

_Severus pulled away, gasping for air. "Oh my-"_

_Draco simply reestablished the link, as he and Harry pulled Severus and Laurel back to the waking world._

Severus opened his eyes, to find Alanna peering at him, her forehead lined with worry. "Laurel?" he croaked, rolling over.

"Are you all right?" Xander demanded, scanning the four people in front of him magically. "You scared the hell out of us, you know. What were you doing?"

Harry, Draco, Laurel and Severus rolled their eyes. "Well, Xander," Severus sneered lightly, "it was a little thing that two people who love each other very much do."

"Perhaps your Mommy dearest taught you about the birds and the bees?" Laurel smirked at the rapidly blushing Xander.

Alanna rolled her eyes. "Really, Xander, we found them in bed, together, and naked. Ask a stupid question...."

Xander, scowled at her. "I meant what happened to trigger the damn flashback!"

Severus rolled his eyes. "We drifted off to sleep and all of a sudden we found ourselves there. Happy now?"

Alanna scowled. "That's strange. Was it just a flashback?"

Laurel nodded shakily. "I think so. It felt like one."

"Harry?" Xander asked quietly. "Was there anything weird about it?"

Draco nodded. "Clautius was there- but it was like he wasn't that powerful."

"What?" Xander asked sharply.

"We bound him really easily," Harry explained.

"But he disappeared as soon as we bound him," Draco finished.

Alanna relaxed. "So it was just a flashback then."

Xander slumped against the headboard, relieved. "Thank God." He stood up, pulling Alanna to her feet. "Come on, we have to help plan- I mean- oops." He shot Harry a guilty look.

Harry smirked. "Go on, go do whatever. I'll act suitably surprised."

Alanna rolled her eyes and smacked Xander's shoulder. "You do know that Lily and James are going to kill you."

"Me? What about you?" Xander protested as they strode from the room.

"I didn't let it slip!" The door shut behind them.

Harry wrapped his arms around Severus and Laurel. "Are you two sure you're all right? You scared me."

Draco rested his head on Laurel's shoulder. "I don't want to ever find you two like that again- not breathing I mean. Not the whole naked in bed thing, though..."

Severus smirked half heartedly. "Agreed." He sat up, pulling Laurel further into his arms. "Now, if you'll excuse us..." he trailed off, raising an eyebrow at his Godson and nephew.

Harry pulled Draco off of Severus and Laurel's bed, keeping their hands clasped. "Come on." He grinned at his uncle, Disapparating the both of them back to their room.

"Now, then, where were we?" Harry huskily groaned, pushing Draco down onto the mattress.

"Are you sure-" Harry covered Draco's mouth with his own.

_Shut up._

_If you say so._ Draco relaxed into the needy kiss. His eyes shot open. "What the- Potter!" He looked up, to see his wrists caught in emerald silk ties. "What the hell?"

"Would you relax? You're going to enjoy this." Harry licked his lips, and then open mouth kissed a long line from the corner of his earlobe down his neck and to his left nipple.

Draco arched into his mouth. _Merlin- God Harry don't stop. Don't you dare- what the hell?_

_Vernon loomed down over him, his face purple. "You little freak," he spat, throwing Harry into the darkness of the cupboard under the stairs. "You worthless waste of space. How dare you ruin my Dudley's birthday??" _

_Harry squirmed and tried to scoot backwards, away from the furious man. His back hit the wall of the cupboard and he cringed, petrified. "I'm – I'm- I'm sorry," he stuttered, raising his hands reflexively to guard his face. "I didn't mean to- I don't know what happened-"_

_"SILENCE!" Vernon viciously backhanded him across the face. Harry whimpered, his lip welling with blood and trickling down his jaw._

_"I-" Harry stuttered, trying to back up further into the cupboard. Vernon slammed his fist again against Harry's face. Vernon caught his shirt collar and dragged him out of the cupboard, his fingers tightening around the eleven year old boy's neck. Harry gasped and gagged, his fingers clawing uselessly at the meaty hand._

I'm Draco- shit this hurts- I have to get out of here- HARRY!- _Draco appeared next to Harry, his chest heaving for breath. He rolled into a crouch, his eyes blazing silver. "HARRY! WAKE UP!" he screamed, punching Vernon with all his might and magic. Vernon flew backwards and hit the wall, slumping to the ground. A trail of blood marked his path down to the floor._

SEV!!!!!!!!!!!!! LAUREL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ALANNA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! XANDER!!!!!!!!!!!! _Draco screamed, panicking. He watched, terrified, as Vernon's features flickered and were replaced by Clautius's for a second before switching back. He shot backwards, shielding his soul mate with his body._

_"Draco?" Draco looked up, launching himself into the arms of his Godfather._

_"Sev, it was awful Vernon was hurting him and it was me but it wasn't and I was so scared and then it was Clautius and I didn't know what to do-" Draco paused to take a breath, his chest heaving. "Harry-"_

_"Is safe." Alanna held Harry in her arms, healing his throat. "Draco, are you all right?"_

_Draco nodded shakily. "But, it was Clautius!"_

_Xander and Laurel swiftly knelt down and flared their powers. They jabbed their fingers onto Vernon's temples. Puzzled, they looked at each other and then at Draco._

_"Draco," Xander began gently. "There isn't anything here. It's empty."_

_"But- but- but- but I saw it!" Draco half yelled- half sobbed, his face scarlet. "I saw it!"_

_"Draco, it's just a link even further into Harry's subconscious, not Clautius. I can't even feel a magical residue," Laurel explained patiently._

_Draco shuddered. "I want my mother," he whimpered. _

_In Alanna's arms, Harry opened his eyes. "Mummy? Daddy?" he whimpered. "Alanna, take me home, please."_

_Xander and Alanna nodded._

Harry and Draco opened their eyes, curled up around each other. "Are you all right?" they asked each other simultaneously.

"Harry?" Harry shot up and dove for his mother and father. He curled up in their laps, tears streaming from his eyes.

"Draco?" Draco sat up instantly, enveloped in his parents' arms.

"What?" How?" he managed to stutter out before bursting into tears.

"Rowan and Gabrielle brought us," Narcissa murmured, rubbing circles on her son's back.

Lucius stood next to Narcissa, gently smoothing Draco's hair. "What happened?" he asked softly. "You can tell us."

"It was horrible," Draco managed to whisper through his tears. "I- I-"

"Shhh," Narcissa soothed, next to her, Lily doing the same with Harry.

"You're safe," Lily promised, gently stroking Harry's hair away from his face. "I promise, he can't hurt you any more."

Lucius sighed. "I take it the party's off?" he asked James in an undertone. Lily and Narcissa turned identical glares at him. "What?" he asked, defensive. "Neither of them are going to feel like celebrating in a few hours. Let's just postpone it. I for one don't want either of them having a flashback if forty people jump out at them and surprise them."

"Yes, but did you have to give away the surprise?" Lily snapped.

Alanna quickly intervened. "How about we just get these two home and in bed to sleep this off?" she suggested. "They need their rest. Severus, Laurel, you too. Lily, is it all right if everyone just crashed at your house?"

Lily nodded and they all Apparated back to Potter Manor. Within minutes, Harry and Draco were asleep, in their own bed, with their parents standing watch, guarding them as they slept.

abababababa (Ignore the letters- I can't get my carrots to work!)

Harry rolled and stretched, his back popping. "Mmm," Draco groaned beside him. "What the hell happened yesterday?"

Harry sat up, his whole body trembling. "I remember. Sev and Laurel- Draco, let's go check on them, just to make sure they're ok."

Draco nodded and stretched, rolling out of bed. He looked down and stared at the fuzzy pajamas bottoms he was wearing. "Um, Harry, what are we wearing?"

Harry stared at his bright blue and yellow plaid flannel bottoms. "My parents have a weird sense of humor." With a wave of his hand, their pants changed to black. They walked out of their room, immediately running into Sev, Laurel, James, Lily, Narcissa and Lucius, who were all standing outside their door.

After they all managed to untangle themselves, Harry stood up and leaned against the doorframe. "Uncle Sev, how are you feeling?"

Severus straightened up, pulling Laurel with him. "Surprisingly well. We were actually coming to check on you. How are you and Draco feeling?"

Draco shrugged. "Oh, not too bad. The whole post traumatic sex was decent. You?"

Lucius turned bright pink. Narcissa glared at her son. "Draco, that was highly inappropriate. Apologize now."

Draco turned to Harry, who was trying not to fall over. "I'm sorry, Harry. The post traumatic sex was mind blowing."

Harry nodded and crossed his arms, fighting slightly hysterical laughter. "Apology accepted."

Narcissa threw up her hands in disgust. "Fine, I give up." She stalked off. "Lucius, they're fine," she spat over her shoulder.

James shrugged. "What's wrong with her?"

Lucius, rolled his eyes. "Hormones, what else?"

Lily and Laurel round on him, snarling. "Hormones?" they all but screamed identically.

Lucius took one look at them and took off running for his life. Harry and Draco shrugged and walked back into their room, throwing up silencing charms as they locked the door.

abababababa

That night, Harry celebrated his seventeenth birthday and Ginny her sixteenth with style. Lily and James had spared no expense, inviting all the leaders from the other magical nations, as well as all of their friends, including all the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Years. Harry and Ginny grinned at the mountain of presents on a side table, both mentally salivating. _Harry?_ Ginny asked quietly. _Would they really mind if we just skipped out with the goods?_

_I think they might,_ Harry sighed. _We should stay for a while, at least._

_Do we have to?_ Ginny muttered.

_Would you two quit griping?_ Draco snickered. _Honestly!_

And, it was just as Harry and Ginny were cutting the three layer chocolate cake, that Alanna's water broke.

"What the.... Ooooh," Alanna moaned, clutching her stomach. "This hurts."

Xander quickly banished the puddle on the floor. "Come on, Love- James, Lily, a little help?" He picked Alanna up gently, cradling her against his chest.

Rowan and Gabrielle appeared next to their side. "So, baby time, is it?" Rowan teased. She conjured a pair of rubber gloves, putting them on with a snap.

Alanna winced. "Please, don't do that." She grimaced as another contraction hit. "I- AAAH!"

Lily nodded, Apparating the group straight to an upstairs bedroom. Gabrielle took one look at the room and shook her head. "This won't do," she murmured. "Lana, what kind of birth did you want again?"

Lana grimaced again. "Don't- care- just- uhhhhnn," she groaned. "Whatever is best," she muttered.

"Fine," Gabrielle waved her hand, turning the room into a state of the art medical center.

Draco and Harry looked at each other, and then at the fifty or so people in the Manor. "Um, what do we do now?" Draco asked softly.

Harry grinned at Ginny. "I'm thinking that Merlin's Palace is looking good right now," he smirked.

Lucius's eyes widened. "You know the location of Merlin's Palace?" he demanded.

Draco smirked. "Know the location? He OWNS the place. Well, he and Lily, and Gareth. They are Merlin's descendants."

Lucius regarded his future son in law with calculated amazement. "I see. Would you care to give a guided tour?"

Harry smirked. "Considering that I haven't even been through it, sure, why not."

Lucius and Narcissa looked as if several Christmases had come early. Severus smirked. "You two all right? I don't think I've ever seen you so excited."

Lucius raised an eyebrow. "Severus, do shut up." Laurel, Damien, Nicholai, Sal, Griffin, and the rest of the guests had do muffle their laughter.

abababababa

Five minutes later, Alanna lay on a very comfortable bed, surrounded by her soul mate, Lily, Rowan and Gabrielle. "So, sis, any pain?" Gabrielle asked brightly.

"Nope, not too bad," Alanna stretched, smiling. "It only gets bad when-" she broke off, grimacing.

"When the contractions hit?" Rowan asked mischievously. "Like, now?"

Xander mock glared at her. "I'm so glad you find this funny." Someone knocked on the door and it swung open. Gaila and Olivia poked their heads in.

"Hey, you two," Lily waved them over "Come on in."

Gaila bounded in. "Hey, Lana. How ya feelin?"

Olivia rolled her yes. "Gabi, calm down." She sedately strolled into the room, looking around. "Nice, Rowan, Gabrielle."

"Thanks," Rowan preened.

Alanna groaned as another contraction hit. "A little help here?" Xander managed to beg through gritted teeth as Alanna squeezed and then broke all the bones in his left hand.

"Lana! That wasn't nice," Rowan giggled. Neither she nor Gabrielle made any move to pry Alanna's hands from Xander's.

"Are you just going to stand there?" Xander growled.

The five of them giggled. "Sure, why not?" Olivia asked. "It's not like you'll have any permanent damage. You must be used to it by now."

They laughed as Xander turned purple.

ababababababa

Laughing, Harry and Draco Apparated the fifty plus guests right outside the Stonehenge Circle. He turned to everyone around him. "Hey, so, party at my place?"

Lucius and Narcissa stared at the cheering crowd of teenagers with extreme trepidation. "Harry, are you sure that's a good idea?" Lucius said.

Claudette raised an eyebrow. "Exactly, Harry. There are priceless orbs and swords and who knows what in there. I don't think you should be giving thirty teenagers free reign over Merlin's Palace. In fact..." she trailed off.

Lucas glared at the circle. "What the hell?"

Harry turned around, as did Draco. "What the- oh HELL no," Harry groaned.

Harry and Draco marched up the slight incline and stood in the perimeter of the circle, their arms crossed. "What the HELL do you think you are doing?" Harry demanded crossly.

Voldemort lowered his arms and glared at the two Demigods. "WHAT?" he snapped, his remaining Inner Circle of Death Eaters drawing their wands. "Can't you see I'm busy?" Voldemort continued.

Harry stalked into the center of the circle and snickered. "What are you trying to do? Blow the place up?" He waved a hand, and the Death Eaters' wands disappeared. They stared at their hands stupidly before edging away from Voldemort and Harry.

Voldemort hissed at him. "Merlin left a chamber under Stonehenge. The Crystal Orb is in it. I'm going to get the Orb and use it to take over the world. Now, do you mind? This spell takes a lot of concentration."

Draco's jaw dropped. "Damn, have you got your facts wrong."

Voldemort threw up his hands. "Now what?"

Harry shook his head. "You are trespassing on private property. My property, to be exact. And, Merlin did not leave a chamber under Stonehenge, he left a palace. My Palace, as I am his Heir. That means the Crystal Orb belongs to me. So, you're attempting to steal my property, as well." He turned around. "Can I get a Ministry official here? I have some charges to press."

"A- a- palace?" The Dark Lord stammered, his scarlet eyes narrowed. "What the- McNair! Get over here!" A burly, masked Death Eater shuffled over. "What did that book passage say?" Voldemort demanded angrily.

"My Lord, it only mentioned a chamber! I swear, My Lord!" The Death Eater groveled.

"You lie! Crucio!" Voldemort snapped.

Harry, Draco, Claudette, Lucas, Lucius and Narcissa watched dispassionately as McNair writhed on the ground. Everyone else was horrified. Ron held Hermione as tears fell down her face. Most of the Ravenclaws, Gryffindors, and Hufflepuffs huddled together, trying to block out the screams. Dudley just stared at the writhing man on the ground curiously. At last, Ginny and Darius had enough.

"Release him," Ginny demanded, morphing into her Demon form. Next to her, Darius bared his fangs, his eyes swirling with unrestrained power. Voldemort stared at her speculatively before waving his hand and ending the spell.

"I remember you, Ginny," the Dark Lord purred. "How is it that a human bound Demoness is trusted enough to have her powers remain active? Why didn't the Demigods bind your powers, young one?"

Darius hissed, his four inch fangs gleaming. Voldemort raised his eyebrows. "You're no better than a Demon. Why the hell aren't you working for Clautius?"

Claudette hissed. "We owe our allegiance to Alanna, our creator, unlike the scum in front of us. Blood traitor," she snarled through her fangs.

Voldemort held up a hand. "First, Clautius told me He was your creator. I apologize for that remark if you found it offensive. As for the second part, he offered me knowledge, and then roped me into servitude. I made an honest mistake, one that I'm trying to get out of."

The entire group, Death Eaters included, stared at him in shock. He sneered at them. "What? The bastard never said anything about helping to destroy my own planet! I want to rule it, not blow it up! Why else do you think my numbers grow fewer every day!"

"I don't know. Why?" Dudley asked before anyone could shut him up.

Voldemort turned on him, exasperated. "Because, you idiot, Clautius tied my powers into his. The Death Eaters are tied through me. If he dies, we ALL die! But, if I dump everyone, he'll notice and it'll be bad. I don't know. All I know is Xander and Alanna have been removing three Marks a week since the beginning of June, and I have only initiated two new Death Eaters in the past two months."

Harry smirked. "How long until you'll be ready to cut all ties, then?"

"Christmas, at the earliest," Voldemort hissed in displeasure. "I wish it could be sooner. That bastard is insane!"

Severus bit the inside of his cheek. _That's the pot calling the cauldron black,_ he sent everyone. The students had to muffle their laughter. Claudette and Lucas did no such thing, laughing openly at the confused and enraged Dark Lord. He wisely kept his temper in reign.

"So, do you mind?" Harry asked, gesturing towards the altar Voldemort had been attempting to magically pry open. "I'd like to get into my house and you're standing on my front stoop."

Voldemort stared at him before backing away from the altar. "Do you mind..." the Dark Lord hesitated.

Harry sighed and exchanged an amused look with Draco. "Fine. The more, the merrier. No cursing, no hexing, stay with the group, and don't try to strip the walls."

"Strip the walls?" Lucius asked curiously.

"Draco, Uncle Sev, turn out your pockets." Draoc and Severus huffed. Severus was clean, but Draco had a small chisel and hammer in his left pocket. Grumbling, he tossed them out of the circle. Harry smirked a him.

"Everyone, get into the circle," Harry instructed, climbing onto the altar and holding his hands up towards the sky. Everyone hastened into the circle as lightning flashed overhead.

"Come on," Harry muttered. Everyone threw their hand over their eyes as a dazzling bolt struck him. The earth began to rumble, and the circle descended into blackness.

"What the- What the hell is going on!" The Dark Lord made his confusion and displeasure known as everyone stood still in the inky blackness, unable to see even their hands in front of their faces.

"Hang on, the bolt knocked Harry out. Idiot, what have I told him about attracting lightning- Lumos." Draco griped as the cavern shone as if it were midday. "And I didn't even get my chisel," he muttered.

Voldemort's jaw dropped. "Sweet Merlin," he muttered, striding over to the wall and tracing the gold leaf and priceless jewels embedded in the rock. "What the- chisel indeed. This cavern alone is worth a fortune."

"I wouldn't try that, if I were you," Severus warned. "Lily and Harry would get fairly upset if their palace were desecrated."

Voldemort's shoulders slumped. "Not even one diamond or emerald?"

"If I can't do it, you sure as hell can't do it," Draco laughed.

Lucius walked slowly over to the wall, tracing the gold with an elegant finger. Draco watched, smirking as the cogs in his father's mind spun. "Draco, how much is your soul mate worth again?"

"Thirty Billion Galleons, why?" Draco asked.

"I think he's worth much more," Lucius said softly. "Merlin was rumored to have a fortune in his palace."

"Treasure hunt! First come, first serve!!!!" Emily screamed, running for the enormous, solid gold double doors.

"WAIT!" Draco yelled. She stopped in mid step. "The doors are warded, enough to knock me on m ass. Don't touch the doors."

"It's ok," Harry said softly, sitting up. "I'll just cover everyone with my magical signature. That should be enough to get them through the wards. Help me up?"

Draco rolled his eyes, but pulled Harry to his feet. "What happened?"

Harry pointed to his scar, which was a brilliant scarlet and swollen. "The damn bolt hit me on the bolt. It hit the weak point and shocked my mind."

"Only you," Draco muttered, shaking his head. "Come on, Golden Boy, get on with it. I want to see this Palace for myself just as badly as everyone else."

Harry grinned and clapped his hands together. The air around each person glowed a solid viridian before dimming once again. "All right, everyone, lets go." Eagerly, Draco grasped the door handle, waiting for Harry.

Harry strode to the front of the group. With a grin, he and Draco threw open the doors.

abababababaaaa

Alanna groaned. "Can't you just Apparate the kid out of me?"

"You're the one who wanted a natural birth," Rowen reminded her grimly. "Besides, remember the sixteen hundreds when the midwives did that? As I recall, the babies had problems."

"What kind of problems?" Lily asked curiously, holding Alanna's left hand soothingly.

"Oh, they more often than not were missing limbs, heads, genitalia, the works," Gabrielle replied grimly.

"What?" Lily gasped.

"They were splinched," Xander said simply. "I think, personally, it was more fault of the midwives for poor Apparating techniques."

"Nope," Rowen said. "It's hard to get a fix on the kid because Mummy's body is trying to move the kid on its own. Same principle as Apparation in motion. You can Apparate yourself, but not others. We don't even try."

"Oh." Lily looked distinctly green. "So, what can I do?" she said brightly.

Alanna squeezed Lily's hand until her fingers turned purple. "Ohhh, you're doing fine right where you are," she wheezed out.

Lily grimaced, but stayed put.

ababababababab

A brilliant light flashed, and a black form appeared in the middle of a grassy plain. Shivering, the form curled into as small of a ball as he could, sobs wracking his body.

_No,_ he called, his mind driven by one focus. _I won't give up. I have to find her. I have to make sure._

Wearily, he closed his eyes, tears once again tracking down his face. _Help,_ he called desperately to anyone who could hear him. _Help me, I have to find her!_

_----------_

_A/N: well, I'm sorry it took so long. Things have been strange and horrible around here. Except for the face that I'm top of my Paramedics class, that rocks. Again, sorry about the wait. I was lazy, but I was also working in class... that class is hella hard!_

_All right, now for the shameless commercial: I HAVE A WEBSITE!!!!! It's on my umm, whatever its called. Homepage? It's under my screen name. You know, right? GO VISIT IT! BECOME A MEMBER!!! I don't like the way Fanfiction has set up this whole thing with the way stories are uploaded, so I'll finish uploading this story here, and on my website, but I'm not gonna put anything else on here. It's driving me nuts!_


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